Julia's Beef Bourguinon

Yummy!!!
Julia's Beef Bourguinon

6oz chunk of bacon (have yet to find this...I use thick cut)
1 T olive or vegetable oil
3 lb lean stewing beef cut into 2 inch cubes
1 sliced carrot (used 2)
1 sliced onion
1 t salt 1/4 t peppre
2 T flour
3 C full bodied red wine or grape juice
2-3 C beef stock
1 T tomato paste
2 cloved mashed garlic
1/2 t thyme
1 crumbled bay leaf

18-24 pearl onions, peeled
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T oil
1/2 C beef bouillon
Herbs for bouquet: 4 sprigs parsley, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 t thyme tied in cheesecloth

2 T butter
1 T oil
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, wash, dried, whole, sliced or quartered

Boiled potatoes for serving.

Take chunk of bacon and remove rind, cut bacon into strips 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long.  Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water.  Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450.

Saute bacon in a 9-10 inch fireproof casserole (enameled cast iron works great) in the 1 T oil for 2-3 minutes to brown lightly.  Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.  Continue to heat oil until almost smoking before sauteing beef.

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp.  Sate a few pieces at a time, in hot oil and bacon faut until nicely browned on all sides.  Add it to the bacon on the side.

In the same fat, brown sliced carrot and onion.  Pour off the sauteing fat.

Return beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour.  Set casserole uncovered in middle position of the preheated oven for 4 minutes.  Toss the meat and return tot he oven for 4 more minutes. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.)  Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325.

Stir in the wine or juice and enough beef stock so that the meat is barely covered.  Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind.  bring to simmer on top of the stove.  Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of oven.  Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when for pierces it easily.

While beef is cooking, prepare onions and mushrooms.

(Brown -braised Onions) Add 1 1/2 T butter and 1 1/2 T oil to saute pan (or enameled skillet) over medium heat. When the butter and oil are bubbling, add onions and saute for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible.  Be careful not to break their skins.  You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.  Pour beef bouillon, salt and pepper to taste and add the herb bouquet.  cover ans simmer slowly for 40-50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated.  Remove herbs. Set aside.

(Sauteed Mushrooms)On high heat, melt butter and oil.  As soon as the butter foam has begun to subside, add the mushrooms.  Toss and shake the pan for 4-5 minutes.  During their saute the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat.  In 2-3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushroom swill be gin to brown.  As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat. Set aside.

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 bacon to it.  Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.  Skim the fat off the sauce.  simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises.  you should have about 2 1/2 C of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.  If too thin, boil it down rapidly.  If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock.  Tast carefully for seasoning.  pour sauce over the meat and vegetables. Cover casserole and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Serve over or next to boiled potatoes.