Beef Bourguignon

This is adapted from The New Basics Cookbook. Allow enough time for it to do its thing in the oven.

Shown here with potatoes, but usually served over papardelle pasta without the potatoes

Serves four

INGREDIENTS

1 ounce salt pork, trimmed of fat and cut into small dice

1 1/2 pounds beef chuck or stew meat, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch cubes

1 onion, chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 sprig rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped

1 1/2 T flour

2 cups Burgundy wine

1 cup water

1 T Worcestershire sauce*

1/4 cup crushed tomatoes (I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted)

2 carrots, peeled and chopped diagonally into chunks

6-8 button mushrooms, quartered

2 T parsley, finely chopped

Also: 8 ounces pappardelle pasta (Trader Joe's sells a nice one)

* If you have it, use 1 cup beef broth instead of water and Worcestershire

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350

In a 3-quart Dutch oven set over a medium flame, sauté the pork until browned and slightly crisp. Remove and reserve.

Using same pot, adding a tablespoon of canola oil since not much fat was rendered from the pork. Add the beef - a few pieces at a time - and brown all over. Remove and reserve until all the beef is browned. Reserve all the beef.

Turn up flame to medium-high, add the onions and stir to combine. Add the flour, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about five minutes.

Add the reserved beef, wine, water, Worcestershire, reserved pork, tomatoes, and rosemary and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven ad cook for about 2 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, prep the carrots and mushrooms.

In a small sauté pan, heat 1 T olive oil. Add 1 clove of garlic and a pinch of chili flakes. When the garlic begins smelling wonderfully fragrant, add the quartered mushrooms and sauté until a bit soft, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.

Add another T of olive oil (or a pat of butter) and about 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Add the chopped carrots cover loosely and steam-sauté for about 3-4 minutes. Remove lid and reserve.

After about 2 hours, 15 minutes of cooking time, set a large pot of heavily salted water to boil.

Remove the stew from the oven and stir in the mushrooms, carrots and parsley. Taste for seasoning and correct as needed. Turn the oven down to 200. Cover the stew and return it to the oven.

Cook the pappardelle until al dente. Drain, then toss with 1 T olive oil and a pinch of the chopped parsley.

Portion the pasta into bowls and top with stew. Serve and enjoy.