Julia Child is known for her accuracy, dedication, and thoroughness in developing exquisite recipes for the home cook. Her Boeuf Bourguignon recipe is the stuff of legends (Bourguignon refers to the Burgundy region of France, as well as the wine used in braising the stew), and many have used it as the basis for their personal and professional riffs on this classic dish. While noted for her impeccable taste in French cooking, her palate lacked sensitivity to animal suffering. By using meaty mushrooms instead of beef and bacon, this Mushroom Bourguignon is a compassionate makeover to the original french beef stew. Braising the vegetables in red wine yields the wonderfully rich and satisfying taste you would expect, but without the cruelty. Pearl onions, made separately, are a tradition; make them if you can and you'll be pleased with visual and flavor accent they contribute to this dish. You'll want to serve over noodles or potatoes to soak up the sauce. And a dish of buttered (vegan, of course) spring peas will add a lovely, bright note to this complex dish. Plan to make this when you've got time to enjoy the process, as well as the leftover wine; I have a feeling Julia did.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add whole mushrooms and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, while stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Remove mushrooms and place in a bowl, then set aside.
In the same pot, add a little more oil. Add onion and carrot. Cook, while stirring occasionally, until carrots have softened, about 15 minutes. Add mushrooms back into the pot, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and stir together. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir again. Add wine, broth, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir, cover, then simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. When done, sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and carrots should be fork-tender. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Meanwhile, make the braised onions. Heat oil in a pan. Add pearl onions and cook, rolling them around to brown evenly, for about 5 minutes. Add broth, a good sprinkle of salt, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until onions are tender and most of the broth has evaporated. Onions and mushrooms should be done at about the same time. While both the onions and the mushrooms are cooking, prepare potatoes, rice, or noodles for serving. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs from mushrooms and onions. To serve, place potatoes, rice, or noodles in a bowl, ladle on mushrooms and sauce, then place several onions on top. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
*While you may substitute the same amount of broth for the wine (with one tablespoon of vinegar per cup), you may lose the lovely full-bodied experience of the sauce; use wine if you can, the alcohol cooks off.
