Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil
8 ounces dry cured center cut applewood smoked bacon, diced
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
2 yellow onions, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 cup Cognac
1 (750 ml.) bottle good dry red wine such as Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
1 can (2 cups) beef broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound frozen whole onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced

For serving:
Country bread or Sour Dough, toasted or grilled and rubbed with garlic clove
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to
250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10
minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with
a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In
batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to
brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue
searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in
the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly
browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite
with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the
juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the
tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and
place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very
tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the
frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly

browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower
the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut
clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with
parsley.