Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce

• 2 pounds beef, either flatiron or chuck
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 bottle red wine (3 cups)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 nice branch fresh thyme
• 12 to 15 small-to-medium cipollini or pearl onions, peeled
• 12 to 15 small-to-medium cremini (Baby Bella) mushrooms, washed
• 12 to 15 baby carrots, peeled
• 1 piece pancetta, about 5 ounces
• 2 cups water plus 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• A dash each of sugar, salt, and pepper
• Fresh parsley

1. Buy about 2 pounds of beef from the flatiron part of the shoulder, and remove the skin or sinew from the top.
2. This is about half of a whole flatiron, depending on the size.
3. Alternatively, use lean beef chuck in the same manner.
4. Cut it into 8 pieces.
5. Preheat the oven to 350F.
6. Melt the butter and olive oil in a nice cast-iron pan attractive enough for the table.
7. Arrange the pieces in one layer in the skillet, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
8. Cook on top of the stove over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, browning the meat on all sides.
9. Add the onion and the garlic.
10. Cook for another 2 minutes, stir to mix, and add the flour.
11. Mix in well, so the flour doesnt form lumps, and stir in the red wine.
12. Add the bay leaves, the thyme, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil, Stir well and cover, remove from heat.
13. Place in the oven and cook for about 1 1/2 hours.
14. The meat should be soft and tender and the liquid properly reduced.
15. The recipe can be prepared to this point up to a day ahead and the garnish added at the last moment.
16. For the lardons, bring the pancetta and 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan, cook for about 30 minutes, until practically cooked.
17. Remove, and when cool enough to handle, cut the pancetta into 1/2-inch slices and then cut the slices into 1-inch-wide lardons.
18. You should have about 1 cup.
19. Combine the lardons, carrots, mushrooms, and onions in a skillet with the olive oil, 1/4 cup of water, a good dash each of sugar, salt, and pepper.
20. Bring to a boil, and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes.
21. At this point, there should be practically no water left.
22. Uncover, and continue cooking over high heat, sauteing until the vegetables are nicely browned on all sides, about 4 minutes.
23. When ready to serve the stew (directly from the pot, or on a large platter), mix some of the vegetables into the stew and sprinkle the remainder on top as a garnish.
24. Add a little fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
25. Enjoy the stew with glasses of the same wine you used in cooking this dish.

beef, butter, olive oil, salt, onion, garlic, flour, red wine, bay leaves, thyme, cipollini, cremini, carrots, pancetta, water, olive oil, sugar, parsley

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/beef-stew-in-red-wine-sauce (may not work)