Instructions

1. Make marinade the day before: Bring red wine to a boil in a stainless steel pan. Set aside to cool.
2. Peel carrots (I just scrub them if the peels are not thick and rough). Remove skin from yellow onions. Cut both into large cubes.
3. Cut beef into large, thick chunks of about 3 to 4 cm / 1 1/2 in.–
4. Place all the above ingredients in a large stew pan. Cover with cooled wine. Cover and place in refrigerator for 24 hours.
5. Start cooking 24 hours later: Drain beef and vegetables, carefully saving the wine.
6. Preheat oven to 200°C / French  mark 6-7 / 400°F.
7. In a stew pan that can be put in the oven, heat cooking oil. Over medium high heat, brown meat on all sides to seal in juices. This should take about 5 minutes.
8. When browned, season with salt and pepper. Add marinated vegetables. Cook for another 4 minutes over medium heat.
9. Remove cooking fat. Add red wine (marinade), crushed garlic cloves and bouquet garni.
10. Bring to boil. Skim off fat.
11. Lightly salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the sauce will reduce and you don’t want to risk it being too salty.
12. Put lid on stew pan and put pan into oven. Bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hrs, stirring from time to time with a wooden spatula.
13. If sauce starts to get too thick, add a little water from time to time, always keeping cooking liquid 3/4 the height of the meat, with the meat fully covered plus some.
14. Remove pan from oven. Use a slotted spoon to remove beef and bouquet garni from pan. Be careful to keep all the cooking juices.
15. Pour liquid into a food processor, along with carrots and onions. Run processor until smooth, then push through a chinois (a conical sieve with an extremely fine mesh). Pour liquid back into stew pan. Correct seasoning if necessary.
16. Put meat back into sauce. Keep warm over low heat.
17. Start preparing boiled potatoes,;the amount is up to you. Traditionally, they are only used as a garnish with the stew.
18. Garniture: Remove skin from pearl onions. Wash.
19. Melt butter in a saucepan. Cover with water. Add 1/2 tablespoon brown cane sugar.
20. Cover with wax paper and cook over low heat until water has evaporated.
21. Continue cooking and stirring until onions become golden brown. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
22. Add Balsamic vinegar. Continue stirring until vinegar has reduced and they just start to caramelize.
23. Use a slotted spoon to remove pearl onions, being careful not to break the outer skin.
24. Remove any pork rind and bone in bacon. Dice bacon. Put bacon bits into cold water and bring to a boil to blanch and remove salt.
25. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a frying pan. Sauté until browned. Remove and drain on paper towels.
26. Wash mushrooms. Drain and dry well. Cut each into quarters. Sauté in butter. Season to taste. Remove and drain on paper towels.
27. Bring beef mixture to boil. Add bacon and mushrooms. Immediately lower heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes so that all flavors blend together, stirring often and making sure liquid doesn’t start to stick to bottom of pan and burn.
28. To finish off, carefully add pearl onions, lowering heat so they don’t fall apart.
29. Arrange a few hot boiled potatoes in soup bowls. Cover with stew and serve immediately.