Hearty Winter Soup Recipe

Beef Bourguignon Soup

A delicious and hearty soup with the same ingredients as the classic French Beef Bourguignon.

Serves: Serves 12

Ingredients
·                            3-4 thick cut slices Applewood Smoked Bacon, approximately 4 ounces
·                            2 tablespoons flour
·                            1 ½ teaspoons salt
·                            ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
·                            2 pounds stew beef meat, cut in ½-inch dice
·                            1 medium onion, chopped in ¼-inch dice
·                            3 medium cloves garlic, minced
·                            6 tablespoons Tomato Paste
·                            2 cups good quality dry red wine, a little more than ½ of a 750ml bottle
·                            6 cups beef stock
·                            4 medium fresh Thyme Sprigs
·                            1 large Bay Leaf
·                            4 tablespoons pesto, prepared or homemade
·                            2 teaspoons brown sugar
·                            2 stalks celery, diced into ½-inch pieces
·                            8 medium carrots, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
·                            2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
·                            2 tablespoons butter
·                            8 ounces Cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
·                            ½ teaspoon Kosher  Salt

Instructions
1.               Cook bacon over medium low heat until golden brown and crisp, but not hard. Do not overcook. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Remove half of the bacon drippings and set aside.

2.               Combine flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add beef and toss with your hands to coat.

3.               In a large Dutch oven or heavy duty pot, heat bacon fat over medium high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add ½ of the beef and spread out to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook, undisturbed until the beef is golden brown on the underside, about 5-7 minutes. With a large metal spatula, flip beef to uncooked side and cook until second side is golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a clean plate. Add the rest of the bacon fat to pot. Heat until hot, add remaining beef and repeat cooking process as directed above.
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4.               Once second batch of beef is browned, return first half of beef to pan. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and 1 of cup wine. Bring to a boil then lower heat to maintain a low simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally to loosen brown bits from bottom of pan. (I like to use a thin bladed metal spatula for this.) Simmer until most of the wine is absorbed, about 20 minutes then add the remainder of the wine and simmer until almost completely absorbed .
 
Enjoy at stay warm!