Going for the gusto... Boeuf Bourguignon

Well, after starting off with an homage to family with the first Le Creuset endeavour, it only made sense to go big or go home with the next outing.

I have made Beef Bourguignon before but never nearly as faithfully as this attempt with Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her Boeuf Bourguignon.

The recipe is linked but I did make a few minor adjustments... I didn't boil the bacon rind. I just used a few strips of regular bacon. It was all that I could find. And, unfortunately, I had to omit the onions at the end, as I could not find any small onions at any of the markets, given the weather. I did make the buttered mushrooms though, which was a tremendous addition.

For the wine, I used a reasonably priced 2006 Georges Duboeuf Cotes du Rhone.

The result, after three hours of simmering in the oven, the straining and plating of the meal, was wonderful. It was probably the best boeuf bourguignon that I have ever made. I'm excited to eat it again today, as it only becomes better as it sits and the flavours continue to mingle.