Boeuf bourguignon - beef Burgundy style

Ingredients:

Marinade

• 2 kg of beef shoulder blade, cut into 2.5 cm pieces.
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved
• 2 stalks celery, cut in half
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
• 1 bottle (0.75 l) of red wine, such as Burgundy

Stew

• 0.5 cups premium flour
• 220 g bacon (piece), cut into bars
• 450 g of champignons, cut in half
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 0.5 cm cubes.
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 0.5 cm cubes.
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced into 0.5cm cubes.
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3-4 cups chicken broth
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• 450 g small red potatoes, cut into 4 pieces
• 0.5 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped, for serving
• Crustless bread, for serving

Preparation:

1. Marinade:
   In a large bowl or container, combine the garlic, carrots, celery, onion, and wine. Add the beef, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. This is a crucial step as it determines the flavor of the dish.
2. Stew:
   Remove the beef from the marinade. Strain the marinade; discard the vegetables and bay leaf. Set aside 2 cups of the marinade.
3. Preheat oven to 175°C.
4. Pour olive oil into a large, wide saucepan or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the beef with salt and toss with flour; do this just before adding the meat to the pan. Add the beef to the hot pan, being careful not to overcrowd it; you'll need to cook it in four batches. Brown the meat thoroughly on all sides, 12-15 minutes. Transfer it from the pan to a baking sheet.
5. After the first two batches, deglaze the pan by adding 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade and scraping up any stuck-on bits. Drain the liquid into a small bowl. Add more olive oil to the pan to coat the bottom and fry the remaining two batches of meat. Transfer the meat to a baking sheet. Deglaze the pan again by adding 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade and scraping up any stuck-on bits.
6. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic, and onion, and season with salt. Cook until the mixture begins to soften and becomes fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 cup of marinade and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan; stir for 1 minute.
7. Add the beef. Stir and cook until the wine has reduced by half, 1-2 minutes. Add enough beef broth to just cover the surface of the beef. Throw in the bay leaf and a bunch of thyme. Cover the pan, bring the liquid to a simmer, and transfer to the oven.
8. Simmer the beef for 2 hours. Add the potatoes an hour before it's done. Cover and return the beef to the oven for another hour.
9. Remove the pan from the oven and skim off any excess fat from the surface of the stew. Sprinkle with chives and serve with bread for dipping.