I know it sounds fancy, but that’s just the big French word doing some heavy lifting. At my house, we just call it magic. There’s something alchemical about the ingredients and how they come together in the Dutch oven that’s just sublime. And I promise: it’s not hard to make. It takes a bit of time to put together, so it’s not a weeknight meal for most people. But is it worth it? YES.

I’ve adapted my recipe from a number of others, and this is the way I always make it when the weather turns cold.

What you’ll need:

1 bottle of Burgundy, or similar dry red wine -I like to use all but 2 glasses worth, so that the grown ups get a glass with our meal, but pour in the whole thing if you like

1 package of uncured bacon

1 medium roast – any cut will do

2 onions, chopped

4-6 carrots, chopped

Garlic cloves, chopped – you determine how many you like, but I do 3-5ish

4-6 golden potatoes, chopped – no need to remove the skin

1 package white mushrooms, chopped

1/4-/12 c flour

2 cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes

A palm full of each: thyme, basil, and parsley

1 bay leaf – if your family can remember to fish it out and not eat it

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Dice the bacon and sautee until crisp, remove from pot, & don’t discard the bacon drippings.
2. Dice the roast, coat with the flour, and add salt to taste. Add to the pot, & sautee in the bacon drippings. Add some Olive Oil if needed. When browned, remove from pan.
3. Add the chopped onions & garlic to the pan, with a little extra Olive Oil, if needed, followed by the carrots and potatoes, and then the mushrooms. You don’t have to cook them through at this point, just get a little sautee going.
4. Return the bacon and beef to the pot with the sauteed veggies, and add the herbs, tomatoes, wine, and enough water to cover everything.
5. Bring the whole mixture to a boil, then cover and pop into the 325 degree oven for 3+ hours, until your house smells like Provence. remove the lid for the last 20-30 minutes of oven time. I like a cast iron Dutch oven for this, but you could also pop it into the crock pot and leave it all day, if you needed to.
6. Serve with crusty bread, and a glass of Burgundy.

I hope you love it as much as we do.