French Recipes

Beef Burgundy, a classic recipe for beef and vegetables, slow cooked in red wine.

Ingredients

The night before, marinate:

• 3-1/2 lbs. beef chuck, fat removed and cut into cubes
• 3 cups red wine (1 full bottle)
• 1 onion, chopped coarsely
• 7-10 garlic cloves, cut in half
• 3 bay leaves
• 12 black peppercorns

For the stew:

• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 lb. bacon, cut into strips
• 24 frozen pearl onions, defrosted
• 15 mini carrots, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise
• 1/4 cup, unbleached, all purpose flour
• 2-1/2 to 3 cups red wine
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste

For the garnish:

• 8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and cut into quarters
• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Put the meat in a large bowl. Combine the rest of the marinade ingredients and pour over the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight, stirring a couple of times if possible. To make the stew, plan on starting at least 4 hours before you plan to serve it, about 1 hour of preparation time and 3 hours of cook time.
2. Remove the meat from the marinade. Discard marinade.
3. Dry the meat on paper towels, patting them to make sure they are dry enough. Season with salt and pepper.
4. In a large, ovenproof pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook about 5 minutes. Do not allow it to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
5. Preheat oven to 275°F.
6. Working in batches, add the meat to the pot and brown well. Do not crowd the meat, it may take 4 to 5 batches to finish. Reserve.
7. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add the pearl onions and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until they are colored.
8. Lower the heat to medium low and sprinkle on the flour, continue to cook for 5 minutes.
9. Add the bacon and the beef back into the pot and toss them well to coat with the flour.
10. Add the red wine, beef stock and tomato paste and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover the pot and put into the oven.
11. Cook for 3 hours. Remove the top and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
12. For the garnish: Just before serving, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan. When the oil is very hot, add the mushrooms and cook without stirring until they are well browned on one side. Stir and continue cooking for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.

To serve:

Stir the mushrooms into the stew, just before serving. Serve in large bowls