Boeuf Bourguignon Rapide, the official French name for Quick Beef and Red Wine Stew.
One of my grandmothers made beef and noodles on a regular basis, a simpler more rustic version of this recipe that requires a pressure cooker to prepare the beef. (A piece of equipment not yet in my kitchen arsenal.) So, I turned to a French version of the recipe and it certainly did not disappoint.
As my family enjoyed the dinner I mentioned that I may post it on the blog until I could recreate my grandmother's recipe - gasp! - two of my family members said it was not blog worthy. What? Why? The answer: It was not pretty enough. (Direct quote) This gave me much pause, did the food really have to be pretty to be worthy of Jana Vee and Marjorie? I realized if I posed the question to either one of them they would be laughing; they didn't always cook perfectly photograph-worthy cuisine but it was always pretty darn good.
QUICK BEEF AND RED WINE STEW OVER NOODLES (Compliments of French Comfort Food)
2 pounds beef tenderloin tips or stew meat
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 T
Salt and pepper
1/4 pound bacon, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 (16 oz package) frozen pearl onions, thawed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
4 cups Burgundy or dry red wine, plus a little extra
1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms, sliced in half
Cooked egg noodles
Cut beef into large chunks, 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces. Place 1/2 cup flour on plate and liberally season with salt and lots of black pepper.
In Dutch oven, cook the bacon on medium heat until golden brown. Remove to paper towels and set aside. Dredge the beef chuck in the flour and shake off excess.
In Dutch oven, heat the bacon grease until hot, add a layer of the beef chunks. Brown on all sides, leaving the insides rare. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining beef, adding olive oil if needed.
In Dutch oven, cook the chopped onion and the pearl onions until golden brown. Add the garlic, thyme and red wine. Bring to a simmer. Remove 1 cup of the sauce, mix in the 2 T of flour with a fork, return to the Dutch oven. Stir until sauce thickens. Add the mushrooms and bring back to a simmer. (If too thick, add a little more wine). Return the beef to the Dutch oven and cook - long enough to reheat the meat and reach doneness to your liking. If you like it well done, continue to simmer. Add in the bacon and stir. Serve over egg noodles.