Boeuf A La Bourguignonne

Preamble
"If one gave stars to the regions of France - as well as to their better restaurants - for the excellence of their cooking, Burgundy would have an unchallenged 'three'. The high quality of its native beef and poultry, allied to the fame of its vintages, makes this one of the most distinctive - if one of the richest - cuisines of France. Most Burgundian dishes are of the long, slow cooking variety - superb casseroles of meat, fish and game - guaranteed to make even the least expensive cuts of meat taste delicious. Indeed, food and wine are so closely linked together in Burgundy that it is a toss-up whether it is the famous vintages of the region or boeuf a la bourguignonne that has brought Burgundy the greater international fame. For boeuf a la bourguignonne - or boeuf bourguignonne as it is sometimes simply called - is one of the truly great dishes of the world. Combining tender nuggets of beef bathed in a rich wine-flavoured sauce with crisp lardons of green bacon or fat salt pork, tiny white onions parboiled to al dente tenderness, and button mushrooms sauteed in butter and lemon juice, this dish is as delicious to eat as it is easy to prepare. Like many wine-based dishes, boeuf a la bourguignonne is better when re-heated and served on the following day. Make this world-famous casserole one of your regular party dishes, preceded by a hot clear soup or a cold or hot hors d'oeuvre and followed by a crisp green salad, cheese or fruit. Nothing could be simpler or more delcious."

Ingredients
3 lb Top Side or Top Rump of Beef
Flour
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 tablespoons Butter
1/4 lb Salt Pork diced
Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
4 tablespoons Cognac warmed
2 Carrots
1 Leek
4 Shallots
1 Spanish Onion
1 clove Garlic
1 Calf's Foot split (optional)
1 Bouquet Garni (Parsley Stalks Thyme Bay Leaf)
1/2 bottle good red Burgundy
Beef Stock or Water to cover
1 tablespoon Flour
1 tablespoon Butter
12 Button Mushrooms
18 Button Onions
Sugar
Lemon Juice
Chopped Parsley

Method

Trim the meat and cut it into large cubes roll them in flour.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan and saute diced salt pork until crisp and brown. Remove pork from pan and transfer to a large earthernware casserole. Brown beef well on all sides in remaining fat, season to taste with salt and pepper and moisten with warmed cognac and flame; let the flame burn away and add meat but not the fat to the casserole.

Coarsely chop carrots, leek, shallots, onion and garlic, and cook vegetables in fat remaining in frying pan, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, adding a little more butter and olive oil, if necessary.

Transfer vegetables to the casserole with the meat; add the calf's foot and bouquet garni.

Pour the excess fat from the frying pan and deglaze with all but 4 tablespoon of the wine. Scrape up any bits left in the pan and pour it over over the meat. Add just enough hot water or good beef stock to cover contents of the casserole.

Cover and cook in a very slow oven for one and a half to two hours.

Remove fat from sauce; stir in, bit by bit, 1 tablespoon butter worked with 1 tablespoon flour; cover; continue to cook gently in the oven for about 2 hours or longer.

Brown onions in 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan with a little sugar. Add 4 tablespoons red wine, cover and cook over low flame until onions are almost tender. Keep warm. Saute mushrooms caps in remaining oil and butter and a little lemon juice. Keep warm.

When meat is tender, remove calf's foot and bouquet garni; correct seasoning; add onions and mushroom caps and sprinkle lavishly with finely-chopped parsley.

Remarks
Appeared on menu: Boeuf Bourgingnonne $5.50 (Chunks of rump steak sauteed then cooked slowly with bacon, onions, red wine and mushrooms)