Boeuf Bourguignon Soup

So my fancy friend Davy made a gorgeous Boeuf Bourguignon a few months ago for a small dinner party and inadvertently created a monster in me. I now crave this meal on a regular basis. In December, Martha saved my day by publishing this soup rendition of the meal that I was dying to make and eat again and again. The first time I tried it, I was cooking for a crowd, so I doubled the beef, but I think I forgot to double everything else. So while eating (devouring?) it, I thought, "this is amazing, but it sure isn't much of a soup, is it?". Little did I realize my mistake until the next time I made it, doubled the beef again, but REMEMBERED to double everything else too. Soup-y or stew-y, either way, the flavors are killer. Eating a bowl of this is like being wrapped in the biggest bear hug (at your mom's house, of course).

From Martha Stewart Living, December 2010

• YieldServes 6

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in short ribs (2 inches thick, 2 pounds total)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
• 3 carrots, 2 finely chopped and 1 cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 shallots, minced
• 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 2 strips bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Burgundy
• 8 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium beef stock
• 2 cups water

Directions

1. Season ribs with 1/2 teaspoon salt and
   some pepper. Coat with cornstarch. Heat oil
   in a large heavy pot (preferably enameled
   cast iron) over medium-high heat. Lightly
   brown ribs on all sides, about 6 minutes.
   Transfer to a plate.
2. Add mushrooms to pot. Cook until
   browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl;
   add cubed carrot.
3. Add shallots, celery, bacon, and chopped
   carrots to pot. Cook until caramelized, about
   6 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.
4. Return ribs with plate juices to pot. Add
   thyme and bay leaf. Raise heat to high.
   Add wine. Cook, scraping up brown bits with
   a wooden spoon, until slightly reduced,
   about 1 minute. Add stock and water. Bring to
   a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially
   covered, until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
5. Remove ribs. Separate meat from bones;
   discard. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; return
   to pot. Add reserved mushroom-carrot
   mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until
   cubed carrots are tender. Season with salt. Ladle soup over bowls of herbed egg noodles and serve with horseradish chive bread on the side.

Cook's Note

Soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw before using. Skim fat from top, and reheat.