Beef and Red Wine Stew
Inspired by beef Bourguignon, the famous French dish, this stew is perfect for Sunday lunch. Start preparing it on Friday, cook it on Saturday and enjoy on Sunday! The wine here is important. Choose a good fruity red, which you will also drink with your meal.
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EmailIngredients:
1.5 kg beef (blade or round)
1 bottle (750ml) good red wine
2 onions
4 shallots
150g bacon
350g white mushrooms
2 carrots
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried
2 sprigs fresh marjoram/oregano or 1 tbsp dried
2 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves
2-3 sage leaves
3-4 tbsp all purpose flour
olive oil, salt, pepper
Procedure:
- Thinly chop onions and shallots (the former in brunoise the latter in rings)
- Cut the bacon and carrots in small cubes
- Thinly slice the mushrooms
- Finely chop the herbs
- Cut the meat into medium sized pieces and place them in a deep bowl together with the chopped onions, and half the herbs (1 sprig thyme, 1 sprig marjoram, sage leaves and parsley). Cover with the wine and let them marinate in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
1. Remove meat from the marinade and dry well with kitchen paper. Drain marinade in a separate bowl and keep the onions.
2. In a large heavy pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil and fry bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and sauté the onions with the shallots until golden. Set aside and sauté the mushrooms.
3. In the same pot heat some more olive oil, as most of it will have been absorbed by the mushrooms, and brown the meat in batches.
4. Add the flour and mix it well until you cannot see any white. Pour in the marinade add the bouquet garni (thyme, marjoram and parsley tied together) carrots and garlic cloves and simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
5. Towards the end of cooking time add the bacon, onions and mushrooms in the pot. Continue cooking for another 20 minutes. The sauce should be thick but plentiful. Check the seasoning and add some slat and pepper if necessary.
6. Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes, or your favourite pasta.
