PREPARATIONS

1. Peel the carrots and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
2. Peel the onions and chop them into small pieces.
3. Pat the beef dry, remove any silver skin if necessary, and cut it into roughly 4×4 cm pieces. Beef brisket or shoulder (also known as “falsches Filet” in Germany) works best.
4. Cut the pancetta into strips.
5. Peel the garlic cloves. They’ll be pressed into the pot later.
6. Open the bottle of wine. Pick a Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon all work great. A bold, fruity red wine is ideal.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the pancetta in a cold Dutch oven. Slowly heat it over medium heat and fry until crispy, allowing the fat to render out. Remove the pancetta and set it aside, leaving the bacon fat in the Dutch oven.
2. If the bacon fat isn’t enough, add 1 tbsp of clarified butter and let it melt. Sear the beef in batches on both sides over high heat to create a nice crust. Remove the beef from the pot.
3. Add the carrots, onions, and tomato paste to the Dutch oven. Press the garlic through a garlic press into the pot and stir everything well. Sauté for about 5 minutes, then sprinkle 1 tbsp of flour over the vegetables and mix well.
4. Pour in about 1/4 of the red wine, stir, and let it reduce over medium heat without a lid until almost no liquid remains (about 5 minutes). The wine and flour should form a creamy texture with the veggies.
5. Return the seared beef to the pot, pour in the remaining wine and the beef stock, and stir well. Place thyme sprigs and bay leaves on top, cover, and bring to a boil. Then reduce to low heat and simmer with the lid on for 2.5-3 hours.
6. Meanwhile, peel the pearl onions carefully without cutting through them. Set them aside in a bowl.
7. Next brush the mushrooms clean with a pastry brush or peel them directly, then quarter them. Set them aside as well.
8. Next to prepare the mashed potatoes peel and quarter them. Fill a large pot with water, add the potatoes and 1 tsp salt and boil until soft. Drain the water and keep the potatoes covered.
9. Heat a small pan over medium heat, melt 1 tsp of clarified butter, and sauté the pearl onions for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown. Deglaze with white wine, add thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf on top, cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes until the wine has mostly evaporated and the onions are soft. Remove the herbs before serving and keep the onions warm on the stove. Season with salt & pepper.
10. To thicken the Boeuf Bourguignon sauce, prepare a beurre manié. Mix 2 tbsp of softened butter with 2 tbsp of flour into a creamy paste. Add it gradually to the stew about 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time to thicken the sauce. Stir the beurre manié into the Dutch oven in portions and bring everything to a quick boil.
11. After about 1.5 hours of simmering, sauté the quartered mushrooms in a large pan with 1 tsp of clarified butter until golden brown. While they’re cooking, prepare an espresso. Add the mushrooms, pancetta, dark chocolate, and espresso to the Dutch oven. Stir well and let it simmer for at least another 30 minutes.
12. For the mashed potatoes, warm milk and butter in a small pot until the butter has melted. Add the mixture to the potatoes, grate in some nutmeg, and mash everything into a chunky texture. For a smoother mash, pass the potatoes through a sieve or food mill. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in crème fraîche.
13. To serve, spoon the mashed potatoes onto plates, top with Boeuf Bourguignon, and add some pearl onions. Garnish with fresh chives.