Bouef (Beef) Bourgignon

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons. Cut the bacon into lardons (sticks, ¼ inch thick and 1 ½ inch long). Simmer rind and lardons in 4 cups of water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry.

Saute lardons in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heatproof casserole over moderate heat, until lightly brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove to the side.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a casserole. Dry beef on paper towels—it won’t brown if damp. Saute beef a few pieces at a time until evenly browned. Keep it aside with the lardons.

Still in the same casserole/pan using the same fat, saute the carrot and the sliced onion until lightly browned

Return the bacon lardons and the beef to casserole with the vegetables. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, then add the flour and toss to coat the beef.

Place the casserole/dish uncovered in the middle position of the oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat again and return to oven for another 4 minutes. This gives the meat a lovely crust.

Remove the casserole/dish from the oven and bring down oven temp to 325°F. Stir in the wine and enough stock so as barely cover meat. Stir in tomato paste, mashed garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and the blanched bacon rind.

Bring the filled casserole to the simmering point on the stove. If you were using a frying pan, discard it and put the stew in an ovenproof dish.

Cover the casserole either with a lid or tightly with aluminum foil so as not to lose any of the juices, and place it in the lower third of the oven. Regulate heat, so that the liquid simmers slow and steady for about 2-3 hours. While the stew is cooking, prepare the small onions and mushrooms.

For the small onions, melt 1 1/2 tablespoon of butter and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a pan and saute the peeled onions until golden brown. Add beef stock until they are almost covered and simmer for 30 minutes, carefully turning them as they cook, or until most of the liquid disappears and they are tender but retain round shape. Set them aside.

Saute mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; stir until they’re nicely brown. Set aside.

After 3 hours, when meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve over a saucepan, wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Place onions and mushrooms over the meat.

Skim the fat off the sauce. Put the saucepan on the stove and simmer it for 2-3 minutes. Skim additional fat if it rises. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If not, boil it until it thickens. If it’s too thick, stir in some stock or bouillon to make it lighter. At this point taste for seasoning and add if needed.

Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Put the casserole on the stove or in the oven and reheat for 2-3 minutes right before serving, basting meat and vegetables with the sauce. Serve it in the casserole with some sprigs of fresh parsley.

Recipe source: Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon from her book, “Mastering The Art Of French Cooking.”