Recipe#1432

Title: Beef Bourguignon 04

Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 From: Mandy Alford mandy@alfresco.demon.co.uk 
 Subject: Beef Bourgignon 
 Message-ID: <378805322wnr@alfresco.demon.co.uk> 
 Date: Mon, 5 Feb 1996 17:53:40 GMT 

2 lb beef, trimmed of fat and cut in 1.5 in cubes
 1-2 tbsp oil
 1 large onion, very thinly sliced
 2 cloves garlic, mashed well with a little salt
 1 heaped tbsp flour
 10 fl oz burgundy
 10 fl oz beef stock
 Tie together with string 1 fresh bay leaf, 2 sprigs fresh thyme,
 a 2" sprig of fresh rosemary and a 2" by 1/2" strip of orange peel.
 Heat some oil in a heavy skillet until very hot.  Brown the beef
 cubes in a single layer, in batches, until dark brown on all sides.
 Do not stir the beef about but turn carefully with two spatulas.
 As the beef is browned, put the cubes in a large pot.
 Add the onions to the same oil, adding a little more if necessary
 to stop them sticking, and lower the heat under the skillet. Cook
 the onions until they are soft and browned - about 8-10 minutes.
 Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
 Pour in half the burgundy and increase the heat under the skillet
 to bring the liquid up to the boil.  Scrape up the brown bits from
 the bottom of the skillet.  When most of the liquid has evaporated,
 add the rest of the burgundy and the stock.  Bring back up to the
 boil.
 Sprinkle flour over the beef cubes and stir them around till the
 flour is absorbed in the beef juices.  Pour on the hot wine and
 onions and stir very well.  Add beef stock to barely cover the
 meat.  Tuck the seasoning bundle (it's a "faggot") in amongst the
 meat and cover the pot with foil and then the lid.
 Put the pot over a very very low heat and let it simmer for at
 least two and a half hours, preferably three and a half.  Check
 the liquid level from time to time, adding more stock if needed,
 and stir occasionally.  When ready to serve, remove the faggot of
 herbs and check the seasoning. The onions should have dissolved
 completely.
 This stew is better served the next day, after it has been chilled
 and any surplus fat removed.