Mushroom Bourguignon

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

This recipe is an adaptation of Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon. While we all love Julia's original, it is very-time consuming and labor intensive. That being said, once I came across a version of this meal that is quicker, much easier to make, and (allegedly) healthier for you, I was incredibly happy.

While this recipe doesn't call for nearly as much butter or fried meat, it still is rich and arguably better the next day. Because I like my pearl onions close to carmelized and very soft, I decided to rely on Julia's method of brown-braising instead of just tossing the onions in near the end.

Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
2 lbs portobello mushrooms, cut in 1/4 inch slices (you can buy the pre-sliced, bagged portobello mushrooms as I did to cut down on time, or you can buy the mushrooms, cut them up, and save the stems for another use)
1/2 carrot, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full bodied red wine
2 cups beef broth + 1/2 cup for the onions (I sometimes use beef stock- when you buy them pre-made at the grocery store, there isn't much of a difference, but beef stock is traditionally thicker and tends towards a more jelly-like consistency)
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup pearl onions, peeled (thaw if frozen, but I have never used frozen)
Egg noodles for serving

Note: I would err on buying too much rather than too little beef stock (1-2 of those big containers at the grocery store ought to do it). If you buy too much, it will refrigerate for a decent amount of time, and they keep unopened for quite a while. You will use the broth for the bourguignon and for the onions, so it is pretty crucial.

Also, I tend to add more mushrooms and onions than called for (i.e. 2 1/4 lbs mushrooms, 2 bags of the mini-onions). They are the best part, and make the leftovers much more substantial.

Pre-peel your onions (it will take you a while, and make a big mess) before you start cooking!

1. Heat the one tablespoon of the olive oil and one tablespoon of butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid — about three or four minutes. Remove them from pan.



2. Lower the heat to medium and add the second tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, a few good pinches of salt and a several grinds of black pepper into the pan and cook for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.

3. Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half. (At this point, if you want to make onions the Julia Child way, start the onions. See directions below). Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions (if you made the Julia Child version, don't add yet) and simmer for five minutes more.



4. Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency (I ended boiling mine down for about 15 minutes to make it much thicker). Once you have boiled down to your preferred consistency, if you made the Julia Child onions, add them now. Season to taste.

5. To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, and dollop with sour cream (optional) and sprinkle with chives or parsley.



For Julia Child Brown-Braised Onions:
18-24 peeled pearl onions
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup beef broth
Thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf

Heat the butter in a pan; when bubbling, add the pearl onions. Roll them around until browned- they won't be browned consistently on all sides, but you want to see some color on them.

Once browned, add the herbs and the beef broth. Cover, and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until broth is absorbed. If you don't want to wait the full 40-50 minutes, wait until they appear carmelized, and add onions (and I prefer to add the left over liquid as well) into your dish.