Rain and Boeuf Bourguignon

Since yesterday it hasn't stopped raining for a second, I like the sound of rain. But of course only if you're inside :). When I went to the grocery today after work I wanted to cook something that you can put into the oven and that is warm, because it's really cold with the rain right now.

So what I made for dinner today was Boeuf Bourguignon, a French dish that is really easy to cook and is a perfect meal for such a nasty weather.

You need:

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices of bacon
3 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
2-3 cups red wine (Bordeaux)
2 -3 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 bay leaf
200 gr white mushrooms 

4-5 big shallots

Pasta (Tagliatelle) or potatoes are great together with this dish

Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C (approx. 360°F)  and cut the bacon into cubes. Put the tablespoon of olive oil in a large fireproof casserole and steak the bacon cubes until they get brown. As soon as they are brown, remove them from the casserole and steak the pieces of beef a a few at a time in the hot oil/bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add the wine and enough stock so that the meat is  covered, then the tomato paste, the thyme, bay leaf, salt and peppar and finally the bacon. Bring to simmer and cover. Place the casserole in the oven for approx. 1 hour. Peel the shallots and cut them into pieces, cut the mushrooms and add to the casserole after it has been in the oven for 1 hour. Let Simmer over low heat for about another 40 to 50 minutes until the onions  and the meat cubes are perfectly tender, the meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

 Bon appetite!

Isabell