Beef bourguignon
Louise Robinson serves up a stunning beef bourguignon recipe, one of the ultimate French comfort food dishes. Using good quality wine, taking time to marinate the beef and carefully preparing each element is well worth the extra effort.
Ingredients
To marinate the beef
- 1kg braising beef , cut into approx. 5cm cubes
- 750ml of dry red wine , Louise used a Burgundy Pinot Noir
- 1 onion , peeled and quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 garlic cloves , peeled and lightly crushed with the back of a knife
- 2 sprigs of thyme
To cook the bourguignon
- 3 tbsp of plain flour
- 3 shallots , finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove , crushed
- 80ml of brandy
- 1 tbsp of tomato purée
- 250ml of beef stock, fresh
- 1 bouquet garni, made from 2 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf and 2 sprigs of thyme, tied together with kitchen string
- 3 tbsp of olive oil
- 20g of butter
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
To finish the bourguignon
- 200g of smoked bacon lardons
- 250g of chantenay carrots , scraped and trimmed
- 12 shallots , small
- 200g of button mushrooms
- 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley , chopped
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
Method
1
Place a large pan over a medium heat and add the wine, onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Bring to the boil then immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool at room temperature, then place in a large bowl in the fridge until cold
2
When the marinade is cool, add the diced beef to the bowl, stir and cover. Place in the fridge to marinate overnight
3
The next day, remove the meat from the marinade with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Strain the marinade and discard the onion, garlic and herbs, reserving the liquid
4
Blot the meat with more kitchen roll to dry it as much as possible and allow it come to room temperature, which will take around 30 minutes
5
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3
6
Put the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Roll the beef in the flour a few pieces at a time so that they are lightly dusted, shaking off any excess
7
Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the butter and olive oil. When hot, add the beef 5 or 6 pieces at a time. Take care not to overcrowd the pan so that the beef develops a deep brown crust. Spoon into a large casserole dish and repeat in batches, adding more oil and butter if necessary
8
Add a little more oil to the pan, add the chopped shallots and crushed garlic and fry gently over a low heat until soft. Add the casserole pan. Turn up the heat and add the brandy to the frying pan, taking care to stand back as the brandy may flame. Scrape the bottom of the pan to dislodge any caramelised bits and add to the casserole pan
9
Place the casserole pan on a medium heat, add the reserved wine marinade and the beef stock. Stir in the tomato purée and add the bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven for 2 hours
10
A quarter of an hour before the meat is cooked, place a frying pan on a medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Fry the bacon lardons until golden, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl
11
Blanch the shallots in boiling water for 30 seconds and peel them. Add them, along with the mushrooms, to the pan used to cook the lardons and fry until just beginning to colour
12
Remove the casserole from the oven and add the carrots, onions and mushrooms. Stir and return to the oven for 30 minutes or until the onions and carrots are tender
13
Check the seasoning and serve in bowls, garnished with the crispy bacon lardons and chopped parsley. Mashed potato and steamed green beans make the perfect accompaniment
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Beef bourguignon
