3 lbs chuck roast cut into 1 - 2 inch cubes
2 thick slices bacon
Flour, salt, pepper
2 medium-large yellow onions sliced
Olive oil
2 carrots diced
1 stick celery diced
3-4 garlic cloves smashed peeled and diced
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 750 cc bottle belgian beer - I used Tripel Carmeliet - use any full bodied ale
5 slices day old baguette
dijon mustard
Low salt beef broth
1/2 can tomato paste
bunch of fresh basil - chopped
5 - 6 stalks thyme - strip the leaves - throw away the stalks.
2 bay leaves
Rehydrate the mushrooms in 1/2 cup hot water for 1/2 hour or so.
In a non-stick skillet heat 2-3 tbl olive oil and add the onion slices. Cook on high for a few minutes then decrease the heat and continue cooking stirring as needed until the onions are carmelized. Remove from heat. Meantime, coat the meat with seasoned flour. Heat 2-3 tbl olive oil in a dutch oven. Chop the bacon and fry it until crisp. Remove the bacon add some more olive oil. Brown the floured meat. Be patient and let it brown in batches. Remove from the dutch oven. Pour some of the beer into the dutch oven to deglaze. Add the carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add chopped herbs and bay leaves. Saute for a few minutes until the kitchen smells amazing. Add the tomato paste - keep cooking for another minute or two. Chop the mushrooms and add them and the rehydrating water (strain it through a cheesecloth). Add almost all of the rest of the beer - keep 6 -8 ounces to taste just to make sure it's still ok
. Add a cup or so of low salt beef broth. Bring it up to a boil, add the browned beef and turn it down to a simmer. Spread the day old baguettes with dijon mustard. Place the baguettes dijon down in the stew, cover and put into a 325 F oven. Cook for 3 hours. Check every now and then to see if you need to add more broth - the bread, tomato paste and flour will all work to make the coziest, most comfort food like thickened gravy you can imagine. I served it with green beans, blanched then cooked in olive oil, wine and onions and steamed, herbed potatoes. 1999 Pontet Canet to drink. Mmmmm mmmmm.
