Beef bourguignon is more of a cold weather dish, but it’s a delicious, pain-in-the-butt-in-a-fun-way meal.
1/4 pound thick-sliced bacon (3 slices), cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brandy
1 (4-inch) piece celery rib
4 fresh parsley stems (without leaves)
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California bay leaf
2 whole cloves
2 onions, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled if desired and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry red wine, preferably Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône
1 pound small (1 1/2-inch-wide) boiling onions or pearl onions
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, quartered if large
Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide flour between two large sealable plastic bags. Divide beef between bags, seal bags, and shake to coat meat.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 6- to 8-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown beef well in 2 or 3 batches, without crowding, adding remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil as needed. Transfer to a bowl.
Pour off any excess oil from pot, then add brandy and deglaze pot by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, for 1 minute. Pour over beef.
Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni (stick cloves into celery so they don’t fall out). Heat 1 tablespoon butter in cleaned pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook bacon, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chopped onions, garlic, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, meat with its juices, and bouquet garni, bring to a simmer, and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
Meanwhile, blanch boiling onions in a 4-quart saucepan of boiling well-salted water for 1 minute; drain (blanching onions makes peeling easier). Rinse under cold running water, then peel.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add boiling onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups water (1 1/2 cups if using pearl onions), bring to a simmer, and simmer, partially covered, until onions are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Increase heat and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until golden brown and any liquid mushrooms give off has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
When meat is tender, stir onions and mushrooms into stew and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and discard bouquet garni and skim any fat from surface of stew. Season with salt and pepper.
It’s definitely a company dish. Serve it with good crusty bread, a nice salad, and good wine. Chocolate mousse for dessert. Ooh-la-la!
