This classic French stew is the king of all beef stews. I love making this rich dish in the snowy and the cold days as it makes my house warm, cozy and full of pleasant red wine aroma.

The tender chunks of the beef and the vegetables all braised in thick red wine sauce make this dish an outstanding meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound boneless beef trimmed and cut to pieces

4 ounces thick cut smoked bacon

2 bones marrow

1 big white onion chopped

½ small mushroom cleaned

½ pound pearl onion cleaned

1/3 pound potatoes peeled and quartered

1 funnel cleaned and quartered

2 tablespoon all purpose flour

2-cup beef broth

1 red Burgundy bottle (750ml)

1cup tomato sauce

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 carrots peeled and cut

Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, sage, rosemary, basil, whole peppercorns)

Salt/ freshly ground black pepper to taste.

1-tablespoon olive oil

STEPS:

In large deep pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat, season beef generously with salt and pepper and start searing until brown.

Add the chopped onion and stir frequently until the onion is lightly brown add the chopped garlic and stir in flour to combine all the ingredients, then glaze the pan with the red wine by scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Add the bouquet Garni and pour the tomato sauce and the beef stock and let simmer over medium heat.

Meanwhile, in sauce pan, sauté bacon, bone marrow and pearl onions over high heat until brown and crisp then drain the excess fat, add the mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes, transfer all to the beef deep pan.

Let simmer on medium low heat for 1:40 minutes.

I usually add the carrots, potatoes and the funnel 30 minutes before the meat is totally tender.