Boeuf bourguignon - recipe

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The boeuf bourguignon is a cornerstone of French cuisine, a beef stew cooked in Burgundy wine, with braised baby onions and mushrooms... really a must-try! Find this and many more recipes with pictures on the Giallozafferano App (in English)
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Ingredients for 6 servings
• 3 1/3 lbs (1,5 kg) of beef (flank or rump)
• 7 oz (200 g) of bacon, with the rind on
• 1/5 cup (50 ml) of extra virgin olive oil
• 7 oz (200 g) of carrots
• 7 oz (200 g) of onions
• salt to taste
• black ground pepper to taste
• ¼ cup (30 g) of flour
• 2 pints (1 lt) of Burgundy red wine
• 2 pints (1 lt) of beef broth
• 1 ½ tbsp (25 g) of tomato paste
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of rosemary
For the baby onions
• 2/3 lb (300 g) of peeled baby onions
• 1 small piece of butter
• 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• about ½ cup (100 ml) of beef broth
• salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 1 bay leaf
For the mushrooms
• 1 lb (500 g) of champignon mushrooms
• 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp of chopped parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
Cut the beef into large chunks, 2-3 inches (7 cm). Pat them dry with kitchen paper, to remove the excess moisture. Remove the rind of the bacon with a knife but don't throw it away. Cut the bacon into small pieces, cubes or strips; remove any small bones or gristle. Simmer the bacon and the rind in boiling water for about 10 min, skimming off the foam that rises to the top, then drain and set aside. You need an oven-safe, cast-iron casserole with a heavy lid, about 12x13 ¾ inches (30x35cm), large enough to hold all the ingredients. Place it over the heat, add the extra virgin olive oil and heat until hot, then add the blanched bacon; sauté for about 10 min, until light brown, over medium-high heat. Drain with a slotted spoon and sear the meat in the bacon grease; add the meat a few pieces at a time, leaving enough space between them so that they brown evenly on all sides and you don't lose any juices. Keep the heat high; transfer to a plate or a bowl until all the meat has been seared. Be careful not to burn the bottom of the casserole so make sure not to leave it empty. Add the carrots and the onions, roughly cut into cubes, lower the heat a bit and sauté for about 10 min, stirring occasionally. Return the bacon to the casserole, stir, add the meat, salt and pepper. Cook until the meat juices have evaporated, then sift in the flour, in two times. Preheat a fan oven to 480°F (250°C) because we'll place the casserole in the oven for 10 min; after the first 5 min, stir the meat and finish browning. Place the casserole in the oven without the lid. Lower the heat to 265°F (130°C) and change the setting to static, then pour in the wine and the beef broth, the liquid should come about ½ inch (1 cm) over the meat; pour a little of the broth into a small bowl, add the tomato paste and mix to dissolve, then add to the casserole, meanwhile turn on the heat. Add the blanched bacon rind and the herbs, thyme, rosemary and bay, tied together, and crush two cloves of garlic into the casserole. Stir well and bring to a simmer, cover with the lid and place in static oven at 265°F (130°C) for at least 3 hours. The liquid should simmer rather than boil. Our boeuf bourguignon has finished cooking, turn off the heat and allow to cool in the oven. The baby onions are already peeled, slice off the bottom, wash and pat them dry. Do the same with the mushrooms, cut off the root end, wash and cut into quarters, if large, or halves, if small. Begin with the baby onions: put the butter, the oil and a bay leaf in a pan, add the onions and sauté for at least 10 min. Once browned, add the broth, salt and pepper, cover with a lid and cook until softened. Move on to the mushrooms: in a pan, sauté a clove of garlic in oil, add the mushrooms, sauté until they start to release their water, then season with salt and pepper and cook until cooked through but still firm. You can add a sprinkle of chopped parsley. Take the cooled boeuf bourguignon, take out all the meat and set aside; remove the rind, the herb bouquet, then pour all the liquid into the bowl. Return the meat to the casserole, take the mushrooms and transfer to a strainer, so that the drippings drain into the bowl; add the mushrooms to the meat, then repeat with the onions. Add the baby onions to the meat, return the casserole to the stove and blend the liquids with an immersion blender. To skim off the fat, place the bowl in the freezer for at least 30 min until the fat rises to the top, then remove with a spoon. Transfer the resulting sauce to a large shallow saucepan and allow to thicken until it coats the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and ladle the sauce over the meat, mushrooms and baby onions. Serve with rice, cooked in beef broth, or fresh egg tagliatelle.