Servings: 4 servings

1½ lbs boneless beef chuck 1½ lbs boneless beef chuck
1-2 tbsp butter or margarine 1 to 2 tbsp butter or margarine
3-4 slices bacon 3 to 4 slices bacon
1 onion 1 onion
1 carrot 1 carrot
½-1 tsp salt ½ to 1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper freshly ground pepper
½ tsp dried thyme ½ tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf 1 bay leaf
1¾ cups red wine 1¾ cups red wine
10-12 pearl onions 10 to 12 pearl onions
½ lb small mushrooms ½ lb small mushrooms
1-2 cloves garlic 1 to 2 cloves garlic

Cube meat. In a skillet, brown meat in butter. Remove meat to a Dutch oven.
Cut bacon into strips. Peel and chop onion and carrot.
Saute bacon in skillet until brown. Add onion and carrot. Saute until soft. Add mixture to meat.
Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Sprinkle with flour. Add tomato paste and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
Add red wine. Cook, covered, over medium low heat for about 1 ½ hours.
In the meantime, peel the pearl onions. Clean mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes.
Add onions and mushrooms to stew when 30 minutes of cooking time remain. Add minced garlic. Cook until meat is tender. Season to taste. Serve.

Prep: easy. Cost: Fairly inexpensive. Prep time: 2 hours total; 1 1/2 hours cooking time. Good served with: Boiled potatoes and French bread and a red wine or beer if desired.  Prep: easy. Cost: Fairly inexpensive. Prep time: 2 hours total; 1 ½ hours cooking time. Good served with: Boiled potatoes and French bread and a red wine or beer if desired.