Beef Bourguignon

Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon

• One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon
• 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• A crumbled bay leaf
•  8 ounces button mushrooms
• 18 to 24 white onions, small
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
• Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)

• Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons. Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 mins to brown lightly. Remove with a slotted spoon.
• Dry beef in paper towels.Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.
• In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.
• Return beef and bacon to casserole. Toss with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
• Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.
• Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes
• Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
• Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock. Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
• While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.
• Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.
• Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.
• Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, add mushrooms.
• Shake pan for 4 to 5 mins. Once they have begun to brown, remove from heat.
• When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.
• Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.
• Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2.You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
• If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.
• Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.
• Serve in casserole and pair with a crusty whole grain baguette.