Boeuf a la bourguignon with heartshaped croutons

Ingredients

Quantity		Ingredient
3	cups	Dry red wine
2	cups	Beef stock or canned broth
¼	cup	Marc de Bourgogne or
		Good-quality brandy
1	large	Onion, chopped
2	smalls	Carrots, chopped
4		Garlic cloves, sliced
1	teaspoon	Dried thyme
1	teaspoon	Dried rosemary
10		Peppercorns
12		Parsley stems
4		Whole cloves
4		Allspice berries
1		Bay leaf
3	pounds	Beef chuck, cut into 2 inch
		Pieces
		Salt and pepper
¼	pounds	Slab bacon (rind removed and
		Reserved) sliced lengthwise
¼		Inch
		Thick, crosswise into pieces
½		Inch wide
2	tablespoons	Butter
1	tablespoon	Oil
1	tablespoon	Tomato paste
1	pounds	Pearl onions
4	tablespoons	Butter
	pinch	Sugar
1	pounds	Button mushrooms
		Beurre Manie (equal parts
		Flour and softened butter,
		Mixed together, about
1	tablespoon	Each)
		Heartshaped croutons:
6	slices	Firm white bread, crusts
		Removed, cut into heart
		Shapes
3	tablespoons	Unsalted butter, melted
¼	cup	Minced fresh parsley

Directions

In a large bowl combine marinade ingredients and beef. Chill, covered, overnight. Drain beef, reserving marinade and vegetables separately; pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 275/F. Cover bacon and rind with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer 3 minutes. Drain. In a large casserole set over moderate heat cook bacon lardons in butter and oil, stirring often, until golden. With a slotted spoon transfer lardons to paper towels to drain.

In casserole over moderately high heat brown beef in bacon fat, in batches. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from casserole. Add reserved vegetable mixture and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add reserved marinade liquid, tomato paste, reserved bacon rind and salt and pepper, bring liquid to a boil and cook in oven, covered, 3 hours. Skim fat from stew and drain meat and vegetables, reserving cooking liquid. Return liquid and meat to casserole.

Meanwhile make vegetable garnish: In a skillet cover onions with water, add 1 tablespoon of butter, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer onions until almost tender. Raise heat to high and reduce cooking liquid to 2 tablespoons. Continue to cook onions, shaking pan over heat, until golden brown and glazed. In a skillet set over moderately high heat, melt remaining butter and add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Cook mushrooms, tossing often, for 7 minutes, or until firm. Add the onions and mushrooms to the casserole. Bring liquid in casserole to a simmer and add enough Beurre Manie, bit by bit, stirring constantly, to lightly thicken sauce.

Make croutons: Brush both sides of bread with melted butter, arrange on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 F. oven until golden brown. Dip edges of bread in Bourguignon sauce and then in parsley.

To serve: spoon meat and vegetables into shallow serving dishes and garnish with croutons.

Yield: 6 servings

TASTE SHOW #TS4664

Marinade: