Boeuf Bourguignonne

In a large bowl, add the beef, dry wed wine, olive oil, chopped onion, chopped carrots, chopped garlic, the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, cracked pepper, and salt. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours but it is preferred to let it marinate overnight, turning it over occasionally. Drain the beef and pat dry, strain the marinade and reserve it and the vegetables separately. Heat a large casserole over a medium to high heat, add, and brown the bacon remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pan, you should have about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan if not add some vegetable oil to make it up. Return the pan to a medium to high heat and add the beef in batches (this so as not to overcrowd the pan and end up steaming the beef and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon, and then add the reserved vegetables and cook until lightly browned about 5 minutes. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of plain flour and cook stirring, until beginning to brown, this will take about 1 minute stir in the marinade, then return the beef and bacon to the pan. Bring to a boil reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the meat is fork-tender, 1 ? hours to 2 hours. Add the mushrooms and the onions, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender about 20 minutes, skim any fat off the surface and add the parsley, salt, and pepper. If you think, it needs thickening whisk in a little Beurre Mani? (kneaded butter, see notes) and simmer stirring until thickened. Notes: Beurre Mani? (kneaded butter), is a dough, made up of equal parts of soft butter and flour, it is used to thicken soups and sauces. By kneading the flour and butter together, the resulting paste/dough is a good thickener. When the beurre mani? is whisked into a hot or warm liquid, the butter melts, releasing the flour particles without creating lumps. Beurre mani? should not be confused with roux, which is also a thickener made of equal parts of butter and flour, but which is cooked before use. Unused beurre mani? can be stored in a covered dish or jar for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Start with 1 tablespoon of plain flour and 1 tablespoon of softened butter, Work the butter and flour together by hand, once the flour is incorporated into the butter your Beurre Mani? is done and prepared to add to your stews, soups, and sauces, remember though to just add it a little at a time, making sure that it is stirred well in.