This is the classic. Of all classics. It is labor-intensive and moderate in difficulty.

And completely worth it.

I recently adapted Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon for dinner at our place with friends. I served mine with mashed confetti potatoes instead of egg noodles or pasta.

Next time you have a special occasion, try this one out. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time!

Ingredients:

• 6-ounces bacon coarsely chopped
• 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (I used Cotes du Rhone)
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• A crumbled bay leaf
• 18 to 24 pearl onions (prepare with recipe here)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
• Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)
• 1 pound mushrooms (prepare with recipe here)

Directions:

1. Saute bacon over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or fireproof casserole until crisp. Remove from pan, drain and dry on separate plate with paper towels. Reheat pan until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
4. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the fat.
5. Return the beef and bacon to casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of pre-heated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to oven for another 4 minutes. Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees F.
6. Stir in the wine, and enough broth so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of stove. Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven.
7. Simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat is easily pierced with a fork.
8. While beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
9. When meat is tender, pour contents of casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Return beef and bacon to casserole, distribute onions and mushrooms over meat.
10. Skim fat off sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
11. Cover casserole and simmer for 2-3 minutes, basting meat and vegetables with sauce several times. Serve on a platter surrounded by potatoes, noodles, or rice. Decorate with parsley.