Beef Burgundy (Boeuf Bourguignonne)

Boeuf Bourguignonne is a classic French recipe, that is rightly famous. The rich combination of flavors; bacon, mushrooms, beef and red wine combine to make a truly special dish that tastes spectacular.

Despite the richness of this dish and the well deserved reputation as classic French cuisine, it is no harder to cook than any other casserole dish. In fact, it’s downright easy and doesn’t take a great deal of time either. This is a very impressive dish to serve at a dinner party or family gathering and makes the whole house smell wonderful. It cooks slow and easy on a low heat. This will serve 4-6 people

You will need:

• A flameproof casserole dish with a lid
• A sharp knife
• A cutting board
• A small frying pan

Ingredients:

• 2 lb chuck steak cut into 2 inch squares
• ½ lb smoked bacon cut into small pieces(streaky bacon in the UK)
• ¾ lb shallots
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• A bottle of red burgundy wine (minus a glass for the chef)
• ¼ lb mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

First, cut the meat into medium sized cubes and set aside. Slice the large onion and chop the garlic. Add the oil to the casserole dish and heat over a medium heat on a burner. Add the onions and fry for a few minutes. Now, add the meat and fry until brown all over. Add the flour and mix. Gradually pour in the wine, stirring all the time. DO NOT STOP stirring until the wine is all in and there are no lumps. Add the garlic, herbs and season with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole with the lid and place in the oven. Cook for two hours.

When the two hours is up, add a little oil to a small frying pan and fry the bacon until it is going crispy. Add the shallots and carrots to the pan with the bacon and cook until brown. Slice the mushrooms and add the mushrooms, bacon, carrots and shallots to the casserole. Cook for another hour with the lid on.

Serving options. Serve with sautéed new potatoes, noodles or plain rice. I like to spice up the rice a little by frying some onion in butter in a sauce pan, then fry the rice in the pan and add the water last. Another option is to serve this with home made garlic croutons and a green salad. This is a better option in the summer.

Bon Apetit!