Beef Stew A La Bourguignonne

1.5 kg cross section of leg or shin of beef, bone removed
90 g fresh pork fat, cut into strips about 2.5 cm long and 5 mm square
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme or mixed herbs
250 g streaky lean green bacon, sliced 1 cm thick, crosswise into 1 cm sections
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
3 or 4 medium-sized carrots, cut crosswise into 3.5 to 5 cm lengths
3 large onions, each cut into 4 to 6 pieces
Salt
3 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons cognac
1 bouquet garni
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ liter veal stock, pot au feu broth, or water
250 g firm buttom mushrooms
Pepper
90 g butter
30 pickling onions

Marinade
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon thyme or mixed herbs
1 bottle red Burgundy wine

Cut the section of beef in half, crosswise, then divide each cut into 6 pieces, respecting the muscular structure; each piece should remain intact within its membrane. Roll the pork fat in the parsley mixed with the thyme or mixed herbs. Using a small sharp knife, pierce each piece of meat, with the grain, in one or two places and force a strip of fat into each slit. Put the meat to marinate for about 3 hours with the olive oil, thyme or mixed herbs, and the wine. Turn the pieces in the marinade two or three times during this period.

Cover the bacon with cold water, bring to the boil, simmer for 2 or 3 minutes and drain. Cook the bacon pieces in the oil in a skillet over a medium heat, turning the pieces until they are golden and the surfaces are slightly crisp. Put the pieces aside, lower the heat and cook the carrots and onions in the same oil, stirring regularly, for 20 to 30 minutes. The onions should be only lightly browned. With a perforated skimming spoon, remove the vegetables from the pan, drain them of all fat, and make certain to leave no fragments of onion behind – they would inevitably burn and leave a bitter taste in the sauce.

While the vegetables are cooking, remove the pieces of meat from the marinade, drain them well in a colander or large sieve, collecting the liquid, and sponge them with a paper towel until dry. Raise the heat, and still in the same oil, brown the meat on all sides, adding a bit more oil if necessary, and salting the pieces only after they have been turned once. Reduce the heat to medium, drain off any excess oil, sprinkle over the flour and turn the meat two or three times over a period of 5 to 6 minutes until the flour is lightly browned. Return the onions and carrots to the pan, stir everything together, and pour in the cognac and the reserved marinade. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen and dissolve all the caramelized deposits.

Transfer the pieces of meat to a casserole and pour over the liquid and vegetables. Add the bouquet garni and the garlic and enough boiling stock to cover. Bring the liquid back to the boil, cover and cook – with the surface hardly bubbling – preferably in the oven at 150º C for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender but still firm. Skim the surface fat two or three times during this period and gently move the pieces of meat about in their sauce to ensure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the casserole.

Toss the mushrooms, salted and peppered, in half the butter over a high heat for a couple of minutes, or until they are lightly colored and their superficial moisture has evaporated. Season the pickling onions and cook them over a low heat whole, in the remaining butter, in a pan just the right size to hold them in one layer. Toss or turn the onions occassionally, until they are yellow and tender but not browned.

With a spoon, remove the pieces of meat and carrot from the sauce, discard the bouquet garni and pass everything else through a fine sieve. Return the meat and the carrots to the casserole, add the reserved bacon, the glazed onions, and the sauteed mushrooms and keep the casserole covered while finishing the sauce.

Bring the sauce to the boil and, keeping the saucepan to the side of the heat, simmer and skim regularly for 30 minutes. If at this point the sauce seems too thin, reduce it for a couple of minutes over a high heat, stirring until it reaches the desired consistency. Pour the sauce over the garnished meat, slowly reheat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Serve the meat in its casserole accompanied by freshly steamed potatoes in a separate dish.