This plant-based version of the classic French stew, Beef Bourguignon is simply delicious.
To make the Beefless Bourguignon, first gather and prepare your mise en place.
To start the dish, heat a large deep-fry pan or an enamel cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Then add the oil and butter, followed by the beefless tips. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the tips are nicely browned. Remove the beefless tips and set aside while you cook the Portobello Bacon.
Cook the mushroom bacon for a few minutes or until it starts to turn a nice golden brown. Remove and set aside.
Next, heat the pan over medium heat and add the remaining oil, followed by the onions. Season the onions with a bit of salt and pepper and continue to cook until golden and translucent. Next add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so, then add the carrots and let cook for a few more minutes.
Once the carrots have cooked slight, add the flour and stir to coat the ingredients in the flour. Next add the tomato paste and cook for another minute or so. Next, deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of the red wine. Add about another cup or so of the red wine and about a cup or so of the dark vegetable stock. Stir to combine the ingredients and bring back up to a simmer. The exact amount of liquid added will ultimately depend on how much flour was used. Basically you want to add equal amounts of red wine and dark stock, until you reach a nice sauce-like consistency.
Next add the reserved mushroom bacon, followed by the bouquet garni. Let this simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the raw flour taste has cooked out and the carrots are tender.
*To create stock with a darker color, add about 4 oz fresh shiitake or 1 oz dry shiitake, or 4 oz portabellas with the gills, to the Basic Vegetable Stock, https://rouxbe.com/recipes/5315-basic-vegetable-stock.
To finish the dish, add the reserved beefless tips and gently stir to combine. If the sauce seems a bit too thick, add a touch more stock to thin it out.
Lastly, remove the bouquet garni and add the Sautéed Mushrooms and Braised Onions and gently fold them into the stew. Once everything has fully heated through, taste one last time before seasoning before serving.
This Beefless Bourguignon is spectacular served with steamed green beans or Sautéed Green Beans and Pommes Parisienne. However, a variety of other sides, from mashed potatoes to a nice green salad, would also pair well with this delicious stew.