Boeuf Bourguignon

Name: Boeuf Bourguignon
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 pound good-quality slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 2 pounds boneless beef chuck or brisket, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch cubes; Salt and black pepper to taste; 1 large onion, chopped; 3 or 4 fresh thyme sprigs; 3 bay leaves; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish; 12 small button mushrooms, trimmed and halved or quartered; 12 pearl onions, peeled (frozen are okay); 1 cup good-quality red wine, preferably Burgundy (Pinot Noir); Stock or water if necessary

December 14, 2011

Like coq au vin, this is a slow recipe that takes careful attention to a couple of ingredients: the bacon must be good slab bacon, nice and smoky and not too lean, and the wine should be fruity and worthy of drinking (there are Burgundies and American Pinot Noirs that meet this requirement and cost around ten bucks a bottle). By all means make this a day or two in advance if you like, then refrigerate and skim the fat if that’s your preference. Reheating will take only about 15 minutes. New potatoes, roasted in olive oil or butter, are terrific alongside this stew, but so is crusty bread. Round things out with a steamed vegetable or salad.

Recipe notes

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