Beouf Bourguignon

Beef in Burgundy Wine...how can you go wrong?  This is a classic french dish and Julia Child's favorite.  I chose a Barefoot Contessa version to try for tonight's dinner.  I do love Julia's classic recipes, but sometimes I like the current touches that Ina puts on classic recipes.  Although the two recipes are very similar, Ina speeds up the process a little instead of the very intricate step by step process that Julia lays out.  In the end these are both fabulous dishes and unless I were tasting them side by side, I might be able to determine a sure winner.

Beouf Bourguignon
Makes 6 servings

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, slices
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth (or homemade beef broth)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole pearl onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with a cut garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven.  Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.  In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.  Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol.  Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices.  Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat.  Add the tomato paste and thyme.  Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of the butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew.  Add the frozen onions.  Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew.  Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven.  Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic.  For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.