Just like Julia Child or Jacques Pepin you can easily make a darn good Beef Bourguignon. Everyone is always intimidated by this recipe and yes I am sure there are intricacies to this recipe that gourmet chefs know but that shouldn’t stop you for enjoying making and more importantly enjoying this fabulous dish.

This is a wonderful dish for two or for family and guests and it is easy and does not take long to make and trust me your kitchen will smell amazing and when your guests arrive they will be blown away by the fragrance and then of course by your amazing dinner.

I prefer this dish in the fall and winter months given its hardy nature but I am sure no one will complain f you serve it on a hundred degree Arizona summer day either. I prepared this just for Isabel and I with beautiful French cafe music playing and we enjoyed the dish on our patio al Fresca style under a candlelit table with a wonderful French Bourdeax. ENJOY!

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs of beef – cut of your choice – I used 3 ribeyes but a Beef Tenderloin is good too.

• 5 oz. of diced Pancetta

• 2 tbsp. of olive oil

• 1 small onion diced

• 2 large carrots sliced

• 3 cups of French red wine

• 2 cups of beef broth

• 2 tbsp. of tomato paste

• 1 bouquet garni of fresh herbs

• 2 bay leaves

• salt and pepper

• 1 – 2 cups of frozen pearl onions

• 8 oz package of sliced Baby Bella mushrooms

• Fresh Italian leaf parsley garnish

• thicken with a one tablespoon corn starch and one tablespoon of water slurry

• sprinkle of tartufo salt and pepper.

Directions:

Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to your Dutch Oven with a lid. Over medium heat, sauté the pancetta until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is lightly browned. Remove and set aside on a paper towel lined bowl.

While the pancetta is cooking, cube your beef and generously season with salt and pepper. Add to the Dutch Oven making sure to space it out so it sears and does not steam.

Once browned nicely, remove the cubed beef and set aside.

Now you can add some more olive oil if needed to sauté your onions, carrots, and garlic over medium heat. Cook these until the onions are translucent, and then add the red wine and deglaze your pan scraping up all of the brown bits on the bottom. Add the beef broth and tomato paste. Stir and add the Bouquet Garni. I tied a bundle of Italian parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Toss in a couple loose bay leaves. Put the lid on the Dutch Oven and set into a 275º oven for two hours.

Remove from the oven and set your Dutch Oven on the stove on low to medium heat. Remove the Bouquet Garni and discard. Now you can add the corn startch/water slurry to thicken the stew or a combo of butter and flour if you don’t care about being gluten and dairy free. Let the stew thicken then add the frozen pearl onions and sliced baby bella mushrooms.

Garnish with a sprinkle of tartufo salt, pepper and finely chopped Italian leaf parsley.

Serve and enjoy!