• Cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer the bacon for about 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large Dutch oven, saute the bacon in the olive oil over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, until slightly browned. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the bacon to a side dish. Reheat the Dutch oven until fat is almost smoking before you sauté the beef.
• Dry the stewing beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Sauté it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Set it aside with the bacon.
• In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Pour out the sautéing fat if necessary. Once the vegetables are browned, return the beef and bacon to the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and toss to coat. Set the Dutch oven, uncovered in the middle position of the oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to the oven for another 4 minutes. This is what helps the meat to get a nice brown crust. Remove the Dutch oven and place on the stove. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
• Stir in the wine and add enough beef stock so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the lower third of the oven. Regulate heat so the liquid simmers very slowly for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
• While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Brown-Braised Onions:

• Place butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter and oil is bubbling, add the onions and saute about 10 minutes, rolling over the onions so that they will brown. Be careful not to break their skins.
• Pour in the beef stock, season to taste, and add the thyme and bay leaf. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herbs. Set aside until the beef is finished cooking.

Mushrooms Sauteed in Butter:

• Place butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. When the butter and oil is bubbling, add the mushrooms and thyme. Cook the mushrooms for about 4-5 minutes. In the words of Julia, do not crowd the mushrooms. As soon as they are browned lightly, remove from the heat. Set aside until the beef is finished cooking.

Directions Continued:

• When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the Dutch oven into a sieve set over a saucepan. Return the beef, bacon, and vegetables to the Dutch oven. Cover the contents of the Dutch oven with the brown-braised onions and mushrooms.
• Skim fat off the liquids in the saucepan. Simmer the sauce for a minute of two, skimming off additional fat as it rises if necessary. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of beef stock. Season the sauce to taste. Pour the sauce into the Dutch oven, over the meat, bacon and vegetables.

For immediate serving: Cover the Dutch oven with lid and simmer for about 2-3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve the Boeuf Bourguignon on a platter with Pappardelle pasta, potatoes or crusty bread on the side.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.