Gumbo oBourguignon

Karlos Knott of Bayou Teche Brewing sent this one in, and the name tells you the whole idea: a French braise run through a Cajun kitchen. Dark chocolate roux instead of a flour thickener, the trinity instead of mirepoix, cayenne, and rice underneath it all.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 6 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced
• Salt and black pepper
• ¾ cup flour
• ¾ cup neutral oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 5 to 6 cups beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• Worcestershire sauce
• 12 ounces mushrooms, browned separately
• 12 ounces pearl onions, peeled
• 12 ounces baby carrots
• Green onions and parsley
• Cooked Louisiana rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Sear the beef. Season the beef and sear it deeply in batches. Remove.
2. Render the bacon. Cook the bacon and remove it, leaving a little fat behind.
3. Deglaze. Deglaze with the wine and reduce it by roughly half. Reserve.
4. Make the roux. Make a dark chocolate roux with the oil and flour.
5. Add the trinity. Add the trinity directly to the roux and cook until soft. Add the garlic, thyme and cayenne.
6. Build the gravy. Gradually whisk in the stock, followed by the reduced wine mixture, Worcestershire and bay leaves.
7. Simmer. Return the beef, carrots, pearl onions and bacon. Simmer very gently 2½ to 3 hours, until the beef is spoon-tender.
8. Finish. Add the browned mushrooms during the final 30 minutes.
9. Serve. Over cooked Louisiana rice, topped with green onions and parsley.