Beef Bourguignon (source: gourmandrecipes.com)

Mum has asked for this for Christmas...

Beef Bourguignon Recipe
Adapted and modified from Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
Servings: Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
6 oz (170 g) bacon, rind removed and cut into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long)
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil
3 lbs (1.5 kg) lean stewing beef , cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons flour1 large carrot, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 cups full-bodied, young red wine , such as a Chianti
2 to 3 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1 dried bay leaf, crumbled
18 to 24 small white onions, brown-braised in stock (recipe follows)
1 lb (500 g) quartered fresh mushrooms, sautéed in butter (recipe follows)
Fresh parsley sprigs

METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 F/160 C.

2. Sauté the bacon with the oil in a 9- to 10-inch, fireproof casserole dish over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove the bacon and set aside.

3. Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Toss it in the flour.

4. Reheat the oil and bacon fat until it is almost smoking. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

4. In the same fat, brown the sliced carrot and onion. Pour out the fat.

5. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and season with the salt and pepper.

6. Stir in the red wine, and enough beef stock so that the meat is barely covered.

7. Add the tomato paste, garlic and thyme and bay leaf.

8. Bring it back to a simmer. Then cover the casserole and let it cook in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

9. While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms (recipes follow). Set them aside until needed.

10. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef, bacon and carrot to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.

11. Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons beef stock. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Recipe may be completed in advance to this point.

12. For immediate serving: Covet the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

13. For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to the simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce

Brown Braised Onions Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons oil
18-24 small peeled white onions
1/2 cup beef stock
Salt and pepper
Bouquet garni (4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf and 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme tied in cheesecloth)

METHOD:
1. Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan until bubbling.
2. Add the onions and sautéed over medium heat, stir frequently, until brown all over, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the stock, bouquet garni and season with salt & pepper. Simmer over low heat for 40-50 minutes, or until the onions are tender.

Sautéed Mushrooms Recipe
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
1 lb (500 g) fresh mushrooms, quartered

METHOD:
1. Heat butter and oil in a frying pan over high heat until the butter foam has begun to subside.
2. Add mushrooms to the pan, toss and shake frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until cooked.