Bœuf à la Bourguignon (translated: beef bourguignon)
Nothing warms the soul like a hearty beef braise. And the bee’s knee’s of all beef braises has to be the French classic Bœuf à la Bourguignonne…excuse the French. It’s the best way to use up your kitchen staples: potatoes, onion, garlic, and bacon, along with that not so good bottle of red wine you most likely have lying around. At the Kandanga Farm Store we have a diced beef special at the moment with every , along with everything else you’ll need minus the wine! Set aside a lazy Sunday afternoon to prepare and you’ll have plenty left over for a mid-week-slow-cooked meal.
Ingredients – serves 8
80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
300 gm smoked bacon (try our Winsland Park nitrate free bacon)
16 small golden shallots, halved/or 4 medium brown onion, cut into wedges
1.2 kg diced beef
For dusting: seasoned plain flour
750 ml red wine from Burgundy
300 ml beef stock
4 thyme sprigs
2 fresh bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
40 gm butter, coarsely chopped
300 gm button mushrooms, quartered
To serve: crusty baguette and buttered steamed chat potatoes
Method
Preheat oven to 150C. Heat half the oil in a casserole over medium heat, add bacon and stir occasionally until golden (5-7 minutes). Remove from casserole and set aside. Reduce heat to low, add shallots and stir occasionally until golden (15-17 minutes). Remove from casserole and set aside. Increase heat to high, then, working in batches, toss beef in seasoned flour, shaking off excess, add to pan and turn occasionally until well browned (3-4 minutes). Remove from pan, set aside and repeat with remaining beef. Reduce heat to medium, add wine, stock, herbs, garlic and beef, bring to the simmer, season to taste, cover and braise in oven for 45 minutes. Add bacon and shallots and braise until shallots and beef are very tender (45 minutes-1 hour).
Meanwhile, heat butter and remaining oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add mushrooms, stir occasionally until golden (3-4 minutes), then season to taste. Serve beef topped with mushrooms, with hot crusty baguette and buttered steamed potatoes.
