Boeuf à la Bourguignon

Chef Melissa Makarenko,
Resto Gare

Ingredients
Boeuf Bourguignon
2 cups mixed mushrooms, cut in half
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 lb whole bacon, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 1/2 cups red wine
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 can tomato paste
1 1/2 L beef stock
3 carrots, peeled and cut into wedges
2 cups pearl onions
2 celery stalks, cut into wedges
1 kg boneless beef stewing meat, cleaned and cubed

Ricotta Gnocchi
1 lb or 3 cups ricotta cheese
1 whole egg
1/8 tsp nutmeg, grated
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon pepper
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup red wine
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic, finely minced

Method
Boeuf Bourguignon

1. Sauté bacon and mushrooms until brown, about 5 mins, on medium high heat.
2. Add wine to sauté mixture, and allow to reduce by half. Add beef stock, and reduce by a quarter.
3. Dust beef with salt, pepper and flour.
4. Brown the meat on all sides, in a hot frying pan lined with canola oil, on high heat for about 3 mins.
5. Combine meat, onions, carrot, celery and mushroom wine sauce in a large braising pan, and cover with tin foil.
6. Braise in the oven, heated to 400°F, for 2-3 hours, until meat is tender but not falling apart.

Ricotta Gnocchi

1. Using the dough attachment on your mixer, combine eggs, ricotta, nutmeg, salt, lemon zest and pepper.
2. Once combined, add flour until dough begins to form a ball. It should feel slightly tacky, but not wet.
3. Allow to rest in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Using both hands, roll out the dough working outwards from the middle, to create long logs.
5. Flour logs thoroughly, and cut into pieces approximately 1 inch wide.
6. Drop gnocchi into salted boiling water. When gnocchi floats to the surface, allow to cook for an additional 2 mins.
7. Strain from boiling water, and place in ice water until gnocchi is cool to touch. Drain.
8. Cover gnocchi in olive oil, or any flavoured oil, until needed.

Assembly

1. To serve, saute gnocchi in a pan with garlic and shallots.
2. Add wine, and finish with butter.
3. Serve hot with Boeuf Bourguignon.

Yields 6 servings.