The nights are turning crisp, the heat is kicking on at 5 a.m., and the thyme in our garden has never been better. This richly-seasoned beef stew is authentically French, more of a Boeuf Bourginon, and straight from Ron's mom, our favorite French cook.
Ingredients
2 lbs. lean beef chuck cubes
1 large or 2 medium sweet onions, sliced
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
Butter and extra-virgin olive oi
Salt and pepper to taste
Slurry of 2-3 tbsp. flour + 1/4 c. hot water
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 lb. carrots cut into 1-1/2" slices
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 package frozen peas or 1/2 lb. fresh peas, hulled
1/2 - 1 cup red Burgundy wine (or any good French or Italian red wine)(Remember, cook only with wine that you would drink.)
Process
In sauté pan, sauté mushrooms in 1 tbsp. butter with 1 tbsp. olive oil until deeply browned and they have given up all of their water. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In dutch oven large enough to fit entire stew, brown beef cubes in 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter until well-browned. Remove beef and set aside. Add onions and garlic, more olive oil if necessary, and sauté until wilted and soft.
Meanwhile, prepare egg noodles and serve.
Note: You can substitute lamb for beef. Choose a tougher cut (a loin chop with bone in works really well), and add four Idaho potatoes, cut into 1-1/2" cubes, at the same time you add the carrots. Mmmm. Your house will never smell so good!
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