This hearty, rich stew is kind of a cross between a traditional Beef Stew and a Boeuf Bourguignon. The best of both worlds. Serve with plenty of good crusty bread to sop up the delicious sauce. The flavor improves the next day.

Ingredients:
Serves 6-8

For the braised beef:

• 5 pounds boneless beef chuck (not lean), cut into 2-inch pieces

• 3 ounces pancetta, or slab bacon

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 carrots, quartered

• 3 celery ribs, quartered

• 2 medium onions, quartered

• 10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 (750-ml) bottle of dry red wine (about 3 3/4 cups)

• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California

• 2 thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme)

• 12 juniper berries (optional)

• 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

For the vegetables:

• 2 1/2 pounds small white boiling potatoes (or Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)

• 1 1/2 pounds of carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch slices.

• 1 cup of frozen peas (optional)

• parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Braise the beef: 
Preheat oven to 325°F with a rack in middle.

1. Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Brown the pancetta in an oven-proof heavy pot like a dutch oven; remove the browned pancetta and set aside. Leave any of the flavorful fat that accumulated in the pot

3. If needed add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.

4. Add the meat to the pot and brown the meat, in 3 batches, turning to brown on both sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the meat to a platter and tent.

5. Reduce the heat to medium, then add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and caramelized for about 12 minutes.

6. Push the vegetables to one side of the pot. Add tomato paste to the cleared area and cook the paste, stirring for 2 minutes, then stir into vegetables

7. Stir in the wine scraping up the brown crusty fond on the bottom of the pot. Add the bouquet garni (see note) of bay leaves, juniper berries, and thyme, and boil until the wine is reduced by about two-thirds, 10 to 12 minutes.

8. Add the broth to the pot along with the beef and any juices from the platter and bring to a simmer. Add more water if needed so the meat is covered with liquid. Cover and braise in the oven until the meat is very tender, about 2-2 1/2 hours.

9. While the beef braises, peel potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes; slice carrots diagonally into 1-inch pieces.

10. After 2-2 1/2 hours, remove the pot from the oven. The meat should be very tender. Set a colander in a large bowl and strain the stew into the bowl. Return the pieces of meat to the pot along with the liquid, remove the bouquet garni, and add the remaining vegetables to a food processor or blender. Add some additional liquid if necessary in order to puree and liquify the vegetables.

11. Puree the vegetables and return the puree to the liquids and meat in the pot. (This will add richness and thicken the stew.) Let the cooking liquid stand for 10 minutes. If the stew is too thick, you can add additional water to bring the consistency of the stew to your preference.

12. Add the potatoes and carrots to the stew (make sure they are submerged) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and carrots are fork tender, about 30 minutes. (Optional: add frozen peas for the last five minutes. Garnish with parsley before serving.)

13. Serve with crusty bread.

*Note: a bouquet garni is a tied pouch of cheesecloth filled with fresh or dried aromatic herbs often used when braising to infuse flavor into a sauce or stew; to be removed before finishing the stew.

** Note: the stew improves in flavor if made a day ahead. Allow to cool, cover, and chill for up to 5 days. Reheat, covered, over medium heat or in a 350°F oven.

Wine pairing: A full-bodied red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Rioja, Bordeaux, Haut Medoc, Barolo, Barbaresco, or Super-Tuscan complements this rich stew.