Boeuf Bourguignon - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs beef, cut into chunks (can use stew meat, chuck or top sirloin)
1 (750 ml) bottle red wine (use a reasonable quality full-bodied wine)
1 onion, chopped finely
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 bay leaves
10 green peppercorns (if you don't have fresh green peppercorns, ground black pepper can be used instead)
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces bacon, in strips
20 white pearl onions
5 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups beef broth (or stock)

Preparation

Marinate the beef for at least 4 hours (best over night) in the red wine mixed with the chopped onion, garlic, bay leaves and fresh peppercorns.
Remove the meat from the marinade and dry with paper towel. In a container/plate/bowl/bag add 1/4 flour and season with salt and pepper. Add the beef cubes and coat them with flour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
In a large frying pan fry bacon in olive oil until slightly browned. Place bacon in a large ovenproof casserole.
Brown the pearl onions and cubed carrots in the same pan; add to casserole.
Brown the meat in the same pan. Depending on the size of the pan, and if it is not possible to fit all the meat into the pan at one time, do the meat in batches. Store the meat already browned temporarily in a large dish.
When all the meat has been browned, put it all into the pan with the bacon, onion and carrots.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of remaining flour mixture into frying pan with oil and mix well while continuing to brown (approximately 5 minutes).
Add, bit by bit, the red wine marinade including onions, garlic, bay leaves and fresh peppercorns.
Let this cook down for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add beef broth and last but not least the tomato paste.
Add to casserole and mix carefully with bacon, pearl onions and meat.
Cook for 2 hours, or until tender, in oven at 350 degrees fahrenheit.