Boeuf bourguignon

Cut the chuck roast into two-inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.

Cut up the bacon and parboil it, blanching two or three minutes to render some of the fat out.

Fry the bacon in a large saute pan with a little vegetable oil until the fat has rendered and it is browned and crispy, then remove it.

Brown the beef in the bacon fat and oil without overcrowding the pan, then remove it.

Saute the sliced onion and chopped carrots in the remaining fat until softened, then set aside.

Deglaze the pan with about three cups of burgundy, scraping up the fond.

Put the beef in a Dutch oven and toss with about a quarter cup of flour.

Bake at 400F about 10 minutes until toasty, toss, and return for another 10 minutes, then add the vegetables and bacon.

Top with the deglazing wine and supplement with beef stock until the beef and vegetables are barely covered.

Add the crushed garlic, chopped thyme, bay leaf and tomato paste and mix in well.

Partially cover, reduce the oven to 325F and braise three hours, stirring occasionally.

Cover the pearl onions with boiling water to loosen the skins, then peel them.

Brown the peeled onions in a hot pan with a little oil, deglaze with about a cup of beef stock, cover and braise about 45 minutes until completely soft but still holding their shape.

Saute the halved mushrooms in two tablespoons of butter until they have expelled most of their moisture, add about a teaspoon of chopped thyme, season with salt and pepper and cook until completely soft, about 15 minutes all told.

After about three and a half hours pull the beef out with tongs and strain the liquid into a large saucepan.

Reduce the liquid aggressively until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Plate the beef, carrots, strained onions and bacon, the mushrooms and pearl onions, spoon the sauce over and finish with freshly chopped parsley.