Serves 12
- 5 lb of beef in the shoulder cut in 1,5 inch pieces
- 3/4 Cup flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 Cup butter
- 1/4 Cup olive oil
- 1/2 Cup Cognac
- 1/2 lb bacon diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 carrots coarsely chopped
- 2 leeks coarsely chopped
- 2 onions chopped
- 1/8 Cup of chopped parseley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 Cups burgundy wine
- 3 Cups beeef broth
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 30 small white onions
- 1/4 Cup butter
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 lb button mushrooms
- 1/4 Cup butter
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 Cup chopped parseley
Combine flour, salt and pepper and dredge the meat.
In a large heavy skiller or best in a frying pan, over high heat, brown meat in butter and oil in several batches.
Place it in a large casserole and deglaze with the Cognac.
To the same skillet add the bacon garlic, carrots, leeks, onions and parseley. Cook stirring till lightly browned. Add bay leaves, thyme and tomato paste, stir and add all to beef. Add wine and enough beef broth to barely cover the meat and mix well.
Cover and bake 2 hours at 350°F.Stir occasionally and ass more broth if necessary.
Peel the pearl onions by dropping them in boiling water for 1 minute. Cut off the end and slip the outer skin. Sauté the onions in 1/4 Cup butter with the sugar, shaking the pan to caramelize the onions as evenly as possible. Pour a small amount of broth or water over them and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes, until they are barely tender.Sauté the mushrooms in 1/4 Cup of butter until lightly browned. Sprinke with lemon juice. Add mushrooms and onions to beef and cook for one hour more or until the beef is tender.
Skim any fat from the surface and remove the bay leave. You can strain the sauce if you want.
Adjust seasoning and sprinkle some chopped parseley before serving.
Serve with noodle or mashed potatoes.
It freezes well also.
