This 30 Minute Beef Bourguignon offers all the heartiness and flavor of traditional bourguignon, but comes together in a fraction of the time. The trick? Substituting the traditional tough cuts of beef with tender beef tenderloin. Spoon on top of Yukon Gold mashed potatoes with a side of steamed green beans or green beans almodine for a delicious special occasion meal.
Ingredients
1cupfrozen pearl onions
1lb (16 ounces)beef tenderloincut into roughly 2-inch chunks
1tablespoonclarified butter or vegetable oilfor searing
1bacon slice (roughly 1 ounce) finely diced
1(10-ounce) package cremini (Baby Bella) mushroomsstems trimmed and quartered
2large garlic clovesfinely chopped
1teaspoonchopped fresh thyme leaves
pinchgranulated sugar
1tablespoontomato paste
½cup (120 mL)earthy red winesuch as Cote du Rhone, Burgundy, or Pinot Noir
1cup (240 mL)low-sodium beef broth
2tablespoons (30 mL)water
1tablespoonunbleached all-purpose flour
fresh thyme sprigsto garnishing
Instructions
Place the pearl onions in a small microwave-proof bowl and cover lightly with a paper towel. Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked all the way through. Set aside for later.
Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Cut the tenderloin into 2-inch chunks - setting aside one small chunk. Finely chop the reserved piece of meat and set aside in a small bowl. Pat the remaining pieces of beef well with a paper towel to soak up any moisture. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
Heat a large, wide Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the clarified butter (or oil) to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the butter is hot, add the beef to the pan and quickly brown on all sides. Note: Avoid over-crowding the pan, cooking the beef in batches as needed. Once seared, set the pieces of beef on a large rimmed plate.
Once all the beef has been browned, add the reserved finely diced beef tenderloin and bacon to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. At this point, the bottom of the pan should have a nice fond layer. Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly brown, for roughly 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic, thyme, and pinch of sugar and stir until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the wine. Place the pot back on the heat and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Reduce the wine by half.
Add the pearled onions and broth and bring to a boil for a minute or so. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and water in a small bowl. Add the flour slurry to the pot, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken. Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste. Add the browned beef tenderloin (and any juices) to the pan and continue to cook over medium heat until the beef is medium-rare, roughly 2 to 3 minutes.
Spoon over mashed potatoes (or another starchy side dish of your choice) and garnish with fresh thyme leaves. Serve immediately.
Recipe lightly adapted from the November 2012 issue of Cooking Light.