Boeuf Bourgignon

Though Julia's version is absolutely amazing (we tried it a few weekends ago using Louis Latour Valmoissine Pinot Noir 2007 and found it to be simply divine), this unique interpretation comes from a local culinary expert, James Worrell. Thank you for sharing your Burgundian wisdom with us!

Ingredients

2.5 lbs. special cut of beef near the loin
3/4 lb. mushrooms, de-stemmed, and peeled
16 pearl onions
1 large piece of streaky slab bacon
1 large clove garlic
1 shallot
1 bouquet garni, consisting of a sprig of thyme, one of parsley, a bay leaf, tied
between two pieces of celery
1- 1 1/2 bottles of good quality red Burgundy
3 tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
1-1 1/2 tablespoons of Cognac

Instructions

Salt and pepper the beef, cut the streaky part from the bacon slab and cut it into cubes of 1/2 inch square or larger if preferred, then parboil them for five minutes.

Melt the butter in the pan and skim it to obtain clarified butter. Drain and dry the bacon cubes and sauté them in the butter until golden brown. Remove them and blot them with paper towels. Add the beef to the pan and sauté it over medium to low heat to brown on all sides. Remove the beef, add the onions and mushrooms to the pan, cover it and cook the two items until they start to brown. Remove them, add the beef and the finely-minced shallot. When the shallots start to brown, add the flour by sprinkling it over the meat and stirring with a wooden spoon. Let it brown, either on the stove or in the oven.

When brown, add the Cognac and ignite, shaking the pan until the flames subside. Add the red wine to cover the meat, bring to a boil, and as the scum rises to the top, spoon it off; keep doing this until it no longer rises. Reduce the heat, add the mushrooms, onions, bacon, garlic and bouquet garni. Allow to simmer 3/4 covered, ("mijoter" is the French term) until the sauce reduces to the proper consistency and serve hot, directly from the pan. The sauce should be fairly glossy.

We recommend you garnish with fresh parsley and serve accompanied by a glass of Louis Latour Santenay 2005 Pinot Noir. Bon appétit!