Ingredients
| 1 tablespoon oil | |
| 60g pearl (baby) onions or shallots | |
| 100g bacon lardons | |
| 700g stewing beef, cut into pieces | |
| ¼ cup/30g all-purpose (plain) flour | |
| 1¼ cups/300ml any broth (stock), heated | |
| 1¼ cups/300ml red wine | |
| 1 bouquet garni | |
| 100g peeled and chopped mushrooms | |
| salt and pepper |
According to the 1867 edition of the French reference dictionary by Pierre Larousse, “bourguignon” describes dishes prepared with wine, including boeuf bourguignon, which is perhaps the most classic French stewed dish. When cooking, the collagen in the meat slowly transforms into gelatin, which dissolves in the hot liquid, creating a thick sauce that coats the tender meat. Do not pick an expensive wine for this but one you would definitely enjoy drinking, and not too light either. Serve as a weekend lunch with potatoes or fresh pasta.
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Instructions
| 1. | Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven (casserole) over medium–high heat. |
| 2. | Add the onions and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the lardons and cook for another 5 minutes until browned. |
| 3. | Remove them from the pot and set aside. |
| 4. | Add the meat and fry on all sides for 5 minutes to brown. |
| 5. | Sprinkle with the flour, then stir for 1 minute until browned. |
| 6. | Add the hot broth (stock), fried onions and lardons, wine and bouquet garni, and season with salt and pepper. |
| 7. | Gently simmer over low heat for 2 hours. |
| 8. | Add the mushrooms and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. |
| 9. | Remove from the stove and serve. |
This is an extract from
Classic French Recipes
by Ginette Mathiot,
published by Phaidon,
$80. Photography
Marie-Pierre Morel.
phaidon.com