Beef Stew With Red Wine And Vegetables - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, thick slices, rind removed, cut crosswise into 1/2 pieces
1 onion, medium, yellow, and diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons canola oil
3 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 (750 ml) bottle red wine, good enough quality for drinking, try a California Cab
1/2 cup brandy
7 cups veal stock, can sub with beef stock (preferably home made, then high quality commercial)
1 piece bacon, rind 3-inch square (optional)
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons beurre manie (equal parts softened unsalted butter and all purpose flour mixed together into a thick paste)
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
2 potatoes, large, waxy, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
10 ounces mushrooms, fresh
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
4 ounces green beans, ends trimmed

Preparation

Place bacon in a large, heavy, flameproof dutch oven and saute over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Add onion and garlic; if there isn't enough fat rendered from the bacon, add a tbsp of oil as well. Saute' onion and garlic until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add only enough beef cubes to fit the skillet without crowding, and brown well on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. As the beef browns, transfer it to the dutch oven with bacon, onion, and garlic. Brown remaining beef in batches, adding oil as needed; don't let bottom of the skillet burn.
When all the beef is browned and removed from skillet, add 1 cup of wine to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Pour the contents of the skillet into the casserole with the beef, along with the brandy and 2 cups of the wine. Increase the heat to high and reduce liquid by 2/3, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the veal stock, bacon rind, bay leaves, and thyme, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low. Cook the beef very gently, partially covered, for 1.5 hours. If the liquid doesn't appear to be thickening, whisk in some beurre manie.
Add the carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Continue simmering until the meat and veggies are tender, 30 minutes more.
Add the cauliflower and green beans, and cook til crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining wine and cook for 30 seconds more.
Remove dutch oven from heat, discard bay leaves and bacon rind. Adjust salt and pepper and serve.