Beef Bourguignonne Stew

 There are just a little over two days left in this year and I am about to bubble over with excitement.

Even though 2011 was a dynamite year, I am over the moon to ring in the New Year with one of my BEST friends Jeanelle
 and our loves.

Tomorrow morning, Wesley and I are hopping in my Prius and heading north to Sacramento to spend two days relaxing and catching up with Jeanelle and her beau Steven. To welcome 2012, we will spend the evening in. Eating, drinking and being very merry.

I highly recommend spending the last hours of the year in with friends or family. It’s fun, it’s affordable, it can be delicious and it’s SAFE.

Lucky for you, I have the perfect easy entertaining dish for you.

You will need…

1 (3-pound) filet of beef, trimmed

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

¼ pound bacon, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups good dry red wine, such as Burgundy or Chianti

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon dry thyme)

½ pound pearl onions, peeled

8 to 10 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ pound mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 lb russet potatoes, chopped

Kosher salt and Pepper

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.

With a sharp knife, but the fillet crosswise into 1-inch thick chunks (or by it pre-cut). Salt and pepper the fillets on both sides.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot that you can put in the oven, over medium-high heat, sauté the slices of beef in batches with 2 to 3 tablespoons oil until browned on the outside and very rare inside, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Remove the fillets from the pan and set aside on a platter.

In the same pan, sauté the bacon on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until browned and crisp.

Remove the bacon and set it aside.

Drain all the fat, except 2 tablespoons from the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan.

Add the beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.

Add the onions and carrots and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and the vegetables are cooked.

With a fork, mash 2 tablespoons butter and the flour into a paste and whisk it gently into the sauce.

Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken.

Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms separately in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for about 10 minutes, until browned and tender.

Add the beef, the mushrooms, the bacon and the potatoes to the pan with the vegetables and sauce.

Put the pot in the preheated oven and cook for at least 3 hours. When the potato is cooked and the meat is crazy, it’s done.

Enjoy while the ball drops.

And wish me and Wes luck on our first road trip. Danger zone.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela