Beef Burgundy

Directions

1. 1
   Bouquet garni: Tie in a square of damp cheesecloth: 1 carrot (quartered), 1 celery top, 1 dry bay leaf, 1 or 2 parsley sprigs, and 1 fresh thyme sprig (or 1 teaspoon dry thyme).
2. 2
   Prepare bouquet garni; set side.
3. 3
   Melt butter in a large, heavy pan over medium heat.
4. 4
   Add onions and bacon; cook, stirring often, until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
5. 5
   lift out onions and bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
6. 6
   Add beef to pan, a portion at a time (do not crowd pan).
7. 7
   Cook, turning as needed, until well browned on all sides.
8. 8
   If using brandy, move pan into an open area, away from exhaust fans and flammable items.
9. 9
   Add brandy to pan and ignite; shake or tilt pan until flame dies.
10. 10
    Return all meat to pan; add burgundy, garlic, mushrooms, the 1 1/2 cups water, bouquet garni, onions, and bacon.
11. 11
    Bring to a boil; then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender when pierced, about 1 1/2 hours.
12. 12
    With a slotted spoon, transfer meat, mushrooms, and onions to a serving dish; keep warm.
13. 13
    Pour meat juices through a fine wire strainer set over a medium-size pan; discard residue in strainer.
14. 14
    In a small bowl, mix flour and the 1/2 cup water to make a smooth paste.
15. 15
    Stir flour mixture into meat juices; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick and smooth.
16. 16
    Season to taste with salt and pepper.
17. 17
    Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.
18. 18
    If made ahead, let cool; then cover and refrigerate until next day.
19. 19
    To reheat, transfer to a baking dish; cover and bake in a 350*F (175*C) oven until bubbly and heated through, about 35 minutes.
20. 20
    Serve over hot cooked rice or noodles, if desired.
21. 21
    Kiwidutch notes: first of all I skipped the brandy part of the recipe -- I made this on the stove top and the flavour was good but the meat was ever so slightly tough, so then I made this as an oven dish, but as with the first attempt, without the mushrooms DH said it was missing some flavour, but that the basis was good -- so I bought some cheap stewing beef a third time, and tried again, using the pressure cooker.
22. 22
    Thinking that the addition of a vegetable might improve the flavour I added a head of broccoli (chopped) into the mix and pressure cooked for 30 minutes.
23. 23
    The result was a slightly messy looking beef stew, but the taste was vastly improved and DH loved it -- so it's going to stay firmly in my cookbook with the additions that suit our needs and tastes.
24. 24
    It's a cheap and easy meal to make, and went well over our roast potatoes.
25. 25
    With only stars given in the reviews to date (July 2005) I am not certain how else people might wish me to try and improve this recipe.
26. 26
    Therefore I give you my own experiences and ideas and would appreciate your feedback if you would like to experiment further with this one :).