Comfort Food from Julia

It's inexplicable really...having no desire to eat something, does not deter one from making it.  Case in point: beef.

I may not actually crave eating beef, but that definitely does not mean I don't have longings to prepare it.  The Julie and Julia movie has kept Beef Bourginion front and center in my mind, I was just waiting for the weather to change to put a pot on. What's not to love? Browned bits on the bottom of the pan, with a bit of brandy to scrape them up...

A "bit" of burgandy...

And the last of the thyme from your summer herb pots...

A few hours of relaxing while oven does all of the work, and you have some pretty flavorful comfort food.  Bring on the cold weather.

Beef Bourginion

Ingredients:
8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
2 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 large onion,  sliced
6 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)
3 cups canned beef broth
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
1 750-ml bottles red Burgundy wine
1 pound crimini mushrooms
1 cup baby carrots
1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Directions:
•Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute bacon in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Season beef generously with salt and pepper; coat with 1/3 cup flour, using all of flour. Working in 3 batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to large bowl. Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.
•Add 1 cup broth and Cognac to pot; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar, tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
•Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving.