Recipe: Boeuf bourguignon in the Thermomix a la Feisty Tapas

Hello! I haven’t forgotten that I have a blog, as well as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram accounts I promise but life dealt us a hard blow on Monday and it has taken me a little while to shake the deep sadness of having lost a beautiful, caring friend. Anything I wrote seemed too sad or too cheerful and I so want to remember her as the young, bright, caring,
intelligent person she was. I don’t want this to be a sad post but I just couldn’t bring myself to
publish a post without mentioning her; after all, she very much led to the creation of this blog.

So today, as I was trying to remember how on earth I managed to make such good boeuf bourguignon in the Thermomix last time (and before the beef that had been delivered on Monday morning went off), I realised that perhaps I should write about the perfect food to have with friends, family, your partner… when the weather is cold.

My friend’s sudden death has brought along many regrets and one of them has been not having seen her or spoken to her more often in the last few months. Mr Tapas and I have decided that life is too short to put things off.

Her business name included the words Life Circle and indeed it has begun: three pregnancies announced since Monday. No, not mine!

One day I will tell you everything about one of the most beautiful souls ever to walk planet Earth but, for now, I shall give you a little taste of heaven instead. Don’t let this story make you sad, try it!

This one is for you Shelley, I do so hope you’re enjoying having a good catch-up with your dad. I bet he is telling you just how proud he has been of you all these years. I promise you to try to do it with gluten-free flour one day too, you know why. I miss you my dear friend and will never forget you.

Boeuf bourguignon in the Thermomix a la Feisty Tapas

Ingredients
It should serve 4 people

• 120 g shallots
• 130 g onion
• 3 carrots, sliced (I have to ask you to do this by hand, sorry!)
• 40 g butter
• 10 g olive oil
• 450 g cubed beef (I cut mine so that the cubes would be bite sized)
• 60 g plain flour
• 200 g red wine
• 200 g beef stock OR 200 g hot water + a beef stock cube
• Salt and pepper
• Approx. 5 mushrooms, sliced

Equipment

Thermomix TM31, chopping board and knife for vegetables, chopping board and knife for meat (unless you already have it cubed), a table, good friends, no TV just the noise of conversation.

Method

1. Chop onion and shallots 5 seconds, speed 5.
2. Add the carrots, butter and olive oil: 100º, 5 minutes, speed 1.
3. Add the cubed beef and the plain flour: 100º, 10 minutes, speed 1.
4. Add the wine, the stock (or the hot water and stock cube): 100º, 50 minutes, reverse, spoon speed.
5. Fifteen minutes into it (i.e. when there are 35 minutes left on the screen), lift the measuring cup and add the mushrooms.
6. When it finishes, check the meat, it should be melt in the mouth soft but mine was still hard so I programmed 100º,  30 minutes, reverse, spoon speed. It was just perfect.

Tip: Serve with lovely crusty bread and a glass of red wine, enjoy with friends and good conversation. Take it from me, invite your friends now, don’t delay!

Hint: You could of course also serve it with potatoes, rice, pasta, a mixed salad… I like it on its own with good bread.