Beef Burgundy

     A hot beef stew on a cold winter night, what could be more cozy to warm up with?  And there are so many advantages:  because you can cook it so long you can buy a less expensive cut of meat and for time saving you can make the meal in the morning and put it in the crockpot and it will be waiting for you at dinner time.  You can also replace the beef with other kinds of meat and make a different type of stew.  This recipe can be doubled and frozen for future dinners.
     The instructions read to brown the meat twice and for the first time to dry the meat so it will brown.  This is a Julia Child trick and it works.  You brown the meat twice to make sure it is cooked.  If you cut it in small pieces and you are cooking it all day in the crockpot you don't need to cook it the second time because it will be too done.
     As I explained last week, if you saw the movie "Julie and Julia" you will remember the scene of the book editor carefully following the Julia Child recipe.  I have adapted that recipe for people with eating disabilities such as my own and also for the convenience of my life.  The Julia Child recipe took me all day to make and I didn't have that much time.  My hat is off to Julia and I admire what she has done for the world of fine cooking, but I had to make my own adaptations.

                                                        Beef Burgundy

2 boxes of fresh mushrooms                                       1 tblsp flour
1/3 cup Marsala wine                                                  1 cup red wine or beef broth
4 slices turkey bacon                                                   1 can beef broth
1 1/2 lbs. stewing beef                                                 2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 carrot, peeled, sliced                                             1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt                                                                  1 whole bay leaf
1/8 tsp. pepper                                                             1 tblsp. corn starch
2 tblsp dried minced onion

     Wash and slice mushrooms.  Saute in Marsala and stick margarine until all the liquid is gone and the mushrooms are brown.  Remove to a plate.  Do not wash pan.  In the same pan cook the bacon until crisp, don't drain fat.  Set bacon on paper towel to cool, then crumble.  Cut the beef in chunks.  Pat dry so the meat will brown.  Brown the meat in the bacon fat and add olive oil if more oil is necessary.  Once browned, set on paper towels to cool, slice carrot and saute in bacon fat a few minutes, then drain on paper towels on a plate.  In a zip lock bag measure salt, pepper, flour and add beef.  Seal bag and shake.  Pour contents of bag in pan to brown the flour on the meat.  Once it has browned, remove from flame.
     In crockpot mix red wine, beef broth garlic and thyme. (do this in a stock pot if not using a crock pot) Once these are combined, add meat, carrots, onion, bacon.  Add bay leaf so that it remains whole.  Cook on low until about fifteen to thirty minutes before time to serve. (If cooking on the stove, cook for at least one hour.  Stir to make sure it doesn't burn on the bottom.  Check to make sure meat and carrots are to desired doneness before serving.)  Remove bay leaf.  Remove most of the liquid to a pan and about 1/2 cup to a small cup to add the courstarch to.  Once the cornstarch has been thoroughly mixed the with broth in th cup, whisk it slowly into the pan which has a low flame under it.  Continue to whisk it until it begins to bubble and thicken.  Cook another minute or two and then pour it back into the crockpot.  Mix with the meat and vegetables.
     Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice or in a bowl by itself.  Serves 4.

     Next week I will share some of my Thanksgiving recipes and how I survive Thanksgiving dinner.  My husband always host Thanksgiving, one year with his family, the next year with mine.  We can have anywhere from six guests to twenty.  We have plenty to be thankful for and I am grateful for that.  See you next time.