Beef and Barley Stew a la Bourguignon

Name: Beef and Barley Stew a la Bourguignon
Total time: 197
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 2 teaspoons salt, divided; 1 cup all-purpose flour; ½ (1 pound) package thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 2 cups thickly sliced celery; 1 cup chopped onion; 1 cup chopped carrot; 5 cloves garlic, crushed; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 ½ cups red wine; 2 fluid ounces cognac; 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, crushed; 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth; 2 ½ cups beef consomme; 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 teaspoons ground thyme; 4 bay leaves; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ⅔ cup pearl barley; 1 (8 ounce) package frozen pearl onions, thawed; 1 pinch white sugar; 1 (16 ounce) package frozen peas; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; ¼ cup cold water; ¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley

Recipe by AREENA from allrecipes.com

Dinner 3 Hr. 17 Mins.

Ingredients

8 servings

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2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
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2 teaspoons salt, divided
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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½ (1 pound) package thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
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2 cups thickly sliced celery
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1 cup chopped onion
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1 cup chopped carrot
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5 cloves garlic, crushed
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½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
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1 ½ cups red wine
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2 fluid ounces cognac
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2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, crushed
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3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
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2 ½ cups beef consomme

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2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
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1 tablespoon tomato paste
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2 teaspoons ground thyme
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4 bay leaves
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½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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⅔ cup pearl barley
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1 (8 ounce) package frozen pearl onions, thawed
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1 pinch white sugar
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1 (16 ounce) package frozen peas
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3 tablespoons butter
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1 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
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2 tablespoons cornstarch
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¼ cup cold water
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¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

Place beef in a bowl; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Toss with flour to coat, shaking off excess flour.
Place bacon in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a large stock pot, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the skillet.
Place the floured beef cubes in the still-hot skillet; cook in batches until browned on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer beef to the pot with the bacon. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, celery, chopped onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until tender and lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to the pot.
Remove the skillet from heat. Pour in red wine and cognac. Return the skillet to heat; light the liquid on fire with a long match or lighter to burn off the alcohol. Transfer the liquid to the pot once the flame has died out.
Heat the pot over medium-high heat. Stir in stewed tomatoes, beef broth, consomme, vinegar, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring stew occasionally, until flavors combine, about 1 hour. Add barley; continue cooking until tender, about 1 hour more.
Place pearl onions in the previously used skillet with water to cover; boil until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1 inch water in the skillet. Return onions to the skillet; sprinkle with sugar. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until water evaporates and onions are browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add to the stew; add peas.
Melt butter in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add to the stew; remove and discard bay leaves.
Mix cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add slurry, 1 1/2 teaspoons at a time, to the stew, bringing to a boil after each addition until desired thickness is reached, 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish stew with parsley.