Name: Beef and Barley Stew a la Bourguignon
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes - 2 pounds; Salt, divided - 2 teaspoons; All-purpose flour - 1 cup; Thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces - ½ (1 pound) package; Thickly sliced celery - 2 cups; Chopped onion - 1 cup; Chopped carrot - 1 cup; Garlic, crushed - 5 cloves; Red pepper flakes - ½ teaspoon; Red wine - 1 ½ cups; Cognac - 2 fluid ounces; Stewed tomatoes, crushed - 2 (14.5 ounce) cans; Reduced-sodium beef broth - 3 cups; Beef consomme - 2 ½ cups; Balsamic Vinegar - 2 tablespoons; Tomato paste - 1 tablespoon; Ground thyme - 2 teaspoons; Bay leaves - 4; Freshly ground black pepper - ½ teaspoon; Pearl barley - ⅔ cup; Frozen pearl onions, thawed - 1 (8 ounce) package; White sugar - 1 pinch; Frozen peas - 1 (16 ounce) package; Butter - 3 tablespoons; Crimini mushrooms, quartered - 1 pound; Cornstarch - 2 tablespoons; Cold water - ¼ cup; Minced fresh Italian parsley - ¼ cup

Ingredients for - Beef and Barley Stew a la Bourguignon

1. Beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 pounds

2. Salt, divided 2 teaspoons

3. All-purpose flour 1 cup

4. Thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces ½ (1 pound) package

5. Thickly sliced celery 2 cups

6. Chopped onion 1 cup

7. Chopped carrot 1 cup

8. Garlic, crushed 5 cloves

9. Red pepper flakes ½ teaspoon

10. Red wine 1 ½ cups

11. Cognac 2 fluid ounces

12. Stewed tomatoes, crushed 2 (14.5 ounce) cans

13. Reduced-sodium beef broth 3 cups

14. Beef consomme 2 ½ cups

15. Balsamic Vinegar 2 tablespoons

16. Tomato paste 1 tablespoon

17. Ground thyme 2 teaspoons

18. Bay leaves 4

19. Freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon

20. Pearl barley ⅔ cup

21. Frozen pearl onions, thawed 1 (8 ounce) package

22. White sugar 1 pinch

23. Frozen peas 1 (16 ounce) package

24. Butter 3 tablespoons

25. Crimini mushrooms, quartered 1 pound

26. Cornstarch 2 tablespoons

27. Cold water ¼ cup

28. Minced fresh Italian parsley ¼ cup

How to cook deliciously - Beef and Barley Stew a la Bourguignon

1 . Stage

Place beef in a bowl; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss with flour to coat, shaking off excess flour.

2 . Stage

Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a large stock pot, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the skillet.

3 . Stage

Place the floured beef cubes in the still-hot skillet; cook in batches until browned on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer beef to the pot with the bacon. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, celery, chopped onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until tender and lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to the pot.

4 . Stage

Remove the skillet from heat. Pour in red wine and cognac. Return the skillet to heat; light the liquid on fire with a long match or lighter to burn off the alcohol. Transfer the liquid to the pot once the flame has died out.

5 . Stage

Heat the pot over medium-high heat. Stir in stewed tomatoes, beef broth, consomme, vinegar, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring stew occasionally, until flavors combine, about 1 hour. Add barley; continue cooking until tender, about 1 hour more.

6 . Stage

Place pearl onions in the previously used skillet with water to cover; boil until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 inch water in the skillet. Return onions to the skillet; sprinkle with sugar. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until water evaporates and onions are browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add to the stew; add peas.

7 . Stage

Melt butter in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add to the stew; remove and discard bay leaves.

8 . Stage

Mix cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add slurry, 1 1/2 teaspoons at a time, to the stew, bringing to a boil after each addition until desired thickness is reached, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish stew with parsley.