Boeuf Bourguignon

Loris made this perfect Boeuf Bourguignon for us in our kitchen in the south of France.  
For the beef, select pieces with good marbling and attached fat if possible.
The red wine should be a wine you like to drink.   The heavier French wines (syrah, grenache) such as Corbieres, are perfect for this purpose.   There are numerous reasonably priced wines available in the Languedoc region from any wine shop.


Ingredients:
1-2 pounds beef steak, cut into 1-inch to 1-1/2-inch chunks
Sel de fleur (gris) 
Freshly ground pepper
Flour
Olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 large onion, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups mushrooms, small, whole
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 beef boullion cube
2 carrots, chopped
Dried or fresh thyme
Dried or fresh bay leaf


Instructions:
Cut the beef into 1 x 2 inch.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.   Sprinkle with  about 1 Tbsp. flour.
Heat a frying pan on medium high, and when the edge is hot, add a generous amount olive oil and heat.
Add the meat to the pan and brown all sides.   While browning the meat, chop up half a large onion.
Put the browned meat into a heavy casserole dish with a lid.
Keep the frying pan on medium high, and deglaze the frying pan half cup red wine and half cup water.   
Add the chopped onion, mushrooms, garlic cloves, peeled and smashed, and the half beef bouillon cube.   When bouillon cube is melted, pour everything into the casserole over the meat.
Add two chopped carrots 1/2 inch, 3 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
Cover and put into oven at 400 degrees F for 1 hour.   The liquid will dry up and the meat will caramelize.   Make sure it doesn't burn.
Add 1 cup water and turn the heat down to 250.   
Cook another 3 hours.   Check every hour for liquid and add water if needed.