Shaboom's Kitchen -- Recipe Archives

I found this on Epicurious web site. It was publlished in Bon Appetit in September 1999. On the first show of her series "The French Chef," Julia Child taught viewers to make this staple of French bourgeois cuisine. Roasted garlic, baby vegetables and wild mushrooms bring the dish right up to date. It's perfect for entertaining since it can be made ahead. One-thing---be sure to use a good pinot noir wine (preferably French) that you will also drink at table.
Serves; 6
1 whole head garlic
2 tablespoons plus 2 cups dry red wine
4 thick bacon slices, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
3 1/2 pounds boneless beef cross-rib roast, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
3 large fresh sage sprigs
3 large fresh rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 cups (or more) canned beef broth
12 ounces pearl onions
3 bunches baby carrots, trimmed, peeled
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, quartered
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic on large piece of foil. Pour 2 tablespoons wine over garlic. Wrap foil around garlic to enclose. Roast garlic until soft, about 40 minutes. Cool. Press garlic between fingertips to release from skins; set aside.
Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Pour drippings into small bowl. Return 2 tablespoons to same pot; reserve remainder. Increase heat to high. Working in batches, add beef to pot and brown, about 7 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat to large bowl.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add chopped onion and chopped carrot to pot; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in flour. Return beef and accumulated juices to pot. Stir in tomato paste. Add herb sprigs, bay leaves, roasted garlic and 2 cups wine; simmer 15 minutes. Add 3 cups broth. Cover; simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Uncover; simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours longer. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaves.
Cook pearl onions in large saucepan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Using 4- to 5-inch-diameter strainer, transfer onions to medium bowl; cool slightly, then peel. Return water to boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. (Bacon, stew and vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Heat 2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add pearl onions to mushrooms; sauté until onions are golden, about 4 minutes. Add carrots; cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring stew to simmer, thinning with more broth, if desired. Stir bacon and 2/3 of vegetables into stew. Transfer to large bowl. Top stew with remaining vegetables.

Copyright © 2005 Carol Stevens, Shaboom's Kitchen, All Rights Reserved

11/2012 UPDATE!!!!
Tips and Hints from Mark Murphy
For the beef: Place the beef into a large nonreactive bowl and add the wine. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and let marinate overnight in the fridge. Drain the beef in a colander with a bowl underneath, reserving the marinade. Place the flour, pepper and some salt in a shallow plate and, working in batches, toss the beef in the flour, shaking off any excess. In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until the fat has been rendered and the bacon is slightly crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the fat in the pot and reserving the cooked bacon. Working in batches, add the coated beef to the pot with the reserved bacon fat and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the beef from the pot to a bowl and repeat with the remaining beef and seasoned flour until all the beef has been browned. Pour off any excess fat in the pot and increase the heat to high. Pour the sherry into the pot and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot. Pour the liquid over the beef. For the bouquet garni: Using kitchen string, tie together the celery, parsley stems, thyme, and bay leaves, making a bouquet garni.