Beef Bourguignon

Cut the bacon into batons and fry in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp, 5–7 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.

Pat the stewing beef dry with a paper towel, cut into 4–5 cm cubes and sear in batches in the bacon fat over high heat until browned on all sides, 8–10 minutes per batch; transfer to the bacon.

In the same pot, melt half of the butter, add the carrots sliced into rounds, the onion cut into half-rings and the minced garlic — sauté for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables soften.

Return the meat and bacon to the pot, season with salt and black pepper, stir in the wheat flour and toss to coat the pieces. Cook uncovered for 3–4 minutes, until the flour turns slightly golden.

Pour in the dry red wine and beef stock so the liquid just covers the meat, then add the tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 2–2.5 hours until the meat is tender.

20 minutes before the stew is done, heat the remaining butter in a separate pan and sauté the mushrooms, halved, until golden, 5–6 minutes; add the mushrooms to the stew.

Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. If needed, reduce the sauce uncovered for 5–10 minutes to the desired thickness, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley, alongside mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or a fresh baguette.