Mainly Mushroom Beef Carbonnade Food

MAINLY MUSHROOM BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In an ovenproof Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper; brown in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon., Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to drippings; cook, stirring frequently, until dark golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in remaining oil; add mushrooms and garlic. Saute until mushrooms begin to brown and release their liquid. Stir in tomato paste., Add carrots, bread, bay leaves, thyme and bouillon. Add beer and water, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil; return beef to pan., Bake, covered, until meat is tender, 2 to 2-1/4 hours. Remove from oven; discard bay leaves. Stir in chocolate until melted.

BEEF CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Dredge beef in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of beef to skillet and cook until beef is brown on all sides, turning beef occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer to heavy large Dutch oven. Repeat process in 2 more batches, adding 1 tablespoon oil to skillet per batch.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over low heat. Stir in onions and garlic. Cook until onions are golden brown and very tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to Dutch over. Add broth, beer and thyme to beef mixture. Cover and simmer until beef is very tender when pierced with fork, approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Remove cover. Boil stew as necessary until liquids are reduced to sauce consistency. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead; refrigerate. Return stew to simmer before continuing.) Serve stew with egg noodles and garnish with parsley.

MARMITE CARBONNADE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Melt half the butter in a large cast-iron casserole over a medium heat, add the onions, then fry for 8-12 mins until golden, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic just before the end, then transfer everything to a bowl. Turn the heat up a little, season the beef with salt and pepper and seal it in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, adding a knob of the remaining butter with each one. Deglaze the pan with a little stock as you go along.
• Return the onions and beef to the pan, sprinkle over the flour, stir, then pour over the Guinness and stock. Add the herbs, sugar, vinegar, mushroom ketchup (if using) and some seasoning. Bring the liquid to the boil, cover, then cook in the oven for 1½ hrs. If serving on the day, skim the fat off at this stage.
• Remove the casserole and turn the oven up to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Discard the herbs, check for seasoning, then add the celery. Mix the remaining butter with about 2 tsp Marmite, then spread it over the slices of French bread on one side. Arrange the slices, Marmite-side up, overlapping on top of the casserole, then return to the oven for another 30-40 mins until the toasts are golden and crisp. Serve straight away.