Great Aunt Nan’s Beef Bourgignon
We’ve all heard the idiom: “You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.” Well, sometimes we are lucky enough to have family we would choose as friends. That is certainly the case with my Great Aunt Nan.
She and my Great Uncle David were spirited adventurers. In their “sunset years,” for example, they flew over from England, bought a small RV and spent years touring all of North and South America together. The first time I met them they were whipping up a marvellous meal in their tiny, one-burner kitchen while parked on the driveway of my childhood home.
A few years later I found myself the privileged guest at their dinner table once again, but this time back in England. The conversation, the laughter, the good wine and good spirits were all in plentiful supply, and the meal was one I will never forget. Sherried Cream of Mushroom and Great Aunt Nan’s Beef Bourgignon.
I loved the way she pulled the meal together, chatting whilst effortlessly gliding in and out of the kitchen periodically as she checked on progress. It was something of a dance, and an elegant one at that. Beef Bourgignon is a wonderful dish for slow and natural gatherings as it fills up every nook and cranny of one’s home with intoxicating aromas while offering a leisurely pace at getting to the table. Nan impressed upon me a vision of effortless, thoughtful entertaining that day which is perhaps in part the reason this is one of my favourite “comfort food” dishes. After a challenging day and in need of just such comfort, I chose to make this for my family last night and thought I would share it with you today {with only some slight modifications to the original}.
THE INGREDIENTS
6 strips bacon
2 lbs lean top sirloin steak {preferably organic} fat trimmed and cut into cubes
8-12 small cippolini onions, peeled and quartered
2 c. shiitake mushrooms, cut into cubes or sliced
2-4 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsp gluten-free flour {I love Cup 4 Cup}
2 Tbsp brandy
1 bottle organic, full-bodied red wine
2 c. beef consumé
1 bay leaf
Big pinch of thyme
Salt + pepper to taste
THE METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook bacon strips until crispy and remove from pan onto paper towel to drain. Remove most of the fat from the pan, reserving just enough to fry the beef. Brown the beef lightly and sprinkle the flour overtop. Gently stir in 1/2 of the wine and brandy. Break bacon up into bits and add back along with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and transfer to a french oven or roasting pan. Cook at 350 for one hour then add remaining wine and brandy and return to oven, reducing heat to 325 for another hour. Finish with salt and pepper and serve with your favourite steamed greens and cauliflower purée. Enjoy!!
Wishing you a weekend filled with the wonderful aromas and comforting rituals of Autumn.
xo
s.
