Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

• •1 pound button mushrooms
• •2 tbsp butter
• •2 strips bacon
• •1 tbsp vegetable oil
• •3 pounds beef chuck
• •1 medium onion
• •2 medium shallots
• •2 medium carrots
• •salt and pepper
• •1 tbsp flour
• •1 cup cognac
• •3 cups beef stock
• •2 tbsp cocoa powder
• •2 garlic cloves
• •2 teaspoons thyme
• •¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
• •1 tbsp tomato paste
• •1 bay leaf

Method

Adapted from foodista.com

1. 1Preheat oven to 160 C (325°F).
2. 2In a pan saut the mushrooms in butter till brown and soft.
3. 3Keep aside.
4. 4In a deep-bottomed pot/cesserole, saut the bacon in 1 tbsp oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly.
5. 5Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
6. 6Reheat the pan until fat is almost smoking before you saut the beef.
7. 7Saut the beef in the bacon fat in batches making sure not to crowd the pieces (the pieces need to brown on all sides, not sweat).
8. 8Add the browned pieces of beef to the bacon.
9. 9Lower the heat to medium.
10. 10In the same fat, add the onions, shallots and carrots.
11. 11Cook till the carrots soften.
12. 12Add the cooked veggies to the beef and bacon.
13. 13Pour out the sauting fat.
14. 14Return beef to the casserole.
15. 15Then sprinkle on the flour and toss to coat the beef lightly with the flour.
16. 16Stir everything around till the flour is cooked and no white traces of it remain.
17. 17Add the bacon and veggies.
18. 18Season with salt and pepper.
19. 19Stir in the cognac and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered.
20. 20Add the garlic, thyme, parsley, tomato paste and bay leaf.
21. 21Bring to simmer on top of the stove.
22. 22Cover the casserole and set it in the oven.
23. 23Cook for 2½ to 3 hours.
24. 24About 1 hour into the cooking add the mushrooms and stir in the cocoa powder.
25. 25Return to the oven. The stew is done when the meat is fork-soft.