Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients - Serves 6

3 lbs of beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes


2 large leeks

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons of fresh thyme


2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper

1 red cup wine


2 tablespoons of brandy

4 oz thick cut bacon, cut into 2 inch pieces


1½ cups of dried cepe or porcini mushrooms


1 cup of carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

12 peeled pearl onions

8 peeled cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons of butter

12 oz lbs white mushrooms

Directions

1. Trim off the green part of the leeks and discard, then slice the white part of the leeks lengthwise and rinse out any dirt. Cross cut leeks into ½ inch lengths.

2. Add meat, leeks, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, olive oil, ½ cup of wine and brandy.

3. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

4. In a large dutch oven, render the bacon.

5. Setting aside the bacon pieces, brown the beef on all sides in bacon fat.

6. Once all the beef has been browned, return the bacon to the dutch oven and add the remaining marinade.

7. Simmer the beef for 2 hours, adding the additional wine and water, as needed.

8. Soak the cepe mushrooms for 20 minutes, taking care to remove any grit.

9. After the beef has been simmering for 2 hours, add the cepe mushrooms, the carrots, the onions and garlic to the dutch oven, simmer for a further hour.

10. Sauté the white mushrooms in the butter to brown them. 

11. Add the browned mushrooms to the dutch oven and cook for another 10 minutes

12. Serve the Boeuf Bourguignon hot with noodles