Beef Bourguignon

It has been freezing in Los Angeles lately. Hard to believe that we got hit with so much rain, a hail storm, and snow! Fortunately, the sun has started to show this week but the air is still quite cold. It has been hard to get out of my apartment and out of my sweat pants. I got my fireplace on and I just want to curl up on my couch underneath a big blanket. This is the time for comfort food and Beef Bourguignon is on my menu. It gives me all the cozy feels. I got leftovers. No need to leave my apartment for the next few days.

Ingredients:

·      1 lb beef stew meat

·      3 slices of bacon, diced

·      2 carrots

·      1 sweet yellow onion, diced

·      12 oz mushrooms, cremini + shiitake (or all cremini or white button mushrooms), halved or thick slices

·      10 pearl onions, trimmed and peeled

·      4 cloves of garlic, 2 minced and 2 crushed

·      1½ Tbsp flour

·      2 tsp tomato paste

·      4 sprigs of fresh thyme

·      1 bay leaf

·      2 Cups of wine

·      1 Cup of beef broth

·      salt + pepper

·      1 Tbsp butter

·      vegetable oil

·      parsley, chopped

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.    Pat beef stew meat dry. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3.    Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat on the stovetop. Add diced bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside.

4.    Pan sear the sides of the beef stew meat in the bacon fat. Remove beef and set aside.

5.    In the same Dutch oven, add onions and brown. Add carrots and garlic. Cook for a minute. If the pan gets dry, add a couple tablespoons of water.

6.    Add tomato paste and flour and mix thoroughly. Toss in bay leaf and thyme.

7.    Pour in wine and let reduce for a couple minutes, turning heat down as liquid starts to bubble.

8.    Add beef broth and stir.

9.    Carefully place the beef and bacon back into the pan, making sure that the meat is fully submerged in the liquid. Cover and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours.

10. Meanwhile, heat a medium frying pan with vegetable oil. Add pearl onions and brown.

11. Toss in the mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt. When the mushrooms begin to shrink, add a tbsp of butter. Stir and allow the mushrooms to slightly brown.

12. When the beef bourguignon has finished cooking, add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the Dutch oven. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.