Beef Bourguignone

This is a great little stew. If at all possible, you should start making it a day in advance, adding the vegetables 2 hours before dinner.
The only problem I have with this, is trying to find a wine good enough to use, but not so expensive.Normally I have to open at least two bottles before choosing which one to use......... It sucks to be me.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

2 ½ lbs stew meat.
6 slices of bacon, cut into bits.
1 large yellow onion, rough chopped.
1-cup baby carrots.
4 cloves of Garlic, smushed up and then minced.
2 cans, Swanson’s beef broth.
8 to 16 oz. sliced mushrooms.
2 tbsp tomato paste.
2-½ tsp fresh Thyme.
3 bay leaves.
2 16 oz packages of frozen pearl onions.
¼ cup all-purpose flour.
Kosher Sea Salt.
Fresh ground Black Pepper.
Olive oil.
¼ cup Courvoisier Cognac.
1 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.
1/2 tsp sage.

Some assembly required:

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and pepper.
Cover the meat on all sides.
Over a high heat, put half the bacon into a large saucepan.
Add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
Cook until crispy.
Add half of the stew meat, and brown on all sides.

(This part is optional, if you like scaring your girlfriend)

Wait until most of the meat juice has evaporated.
When you have nothing but hot sizzling oil and meat in the pan, pour in half of the cognac and set it on fire. Shake it about until the blue flames go out, making sure you don’t spill any of that blue fierey shit on your hands, (Important safety tip).

Place the meat in a large soup pot, over medium heat, add broth.
Repeat the above step with the other half of the meat, then add ½ cup of water to the saucepan and scrape up all the little crunchy bits off the bottom of the pan.
Pour that into the pot as well, then put over a medium flame.

Jullienne the carrots, (That means cut them up like so they look like matchsticks).
Add mushrooms, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and chopped onion.
Pour all but one glass of the wine into the pot, (drink the last cup).
Add one package of onions, simmer for 2 hours uncovered, then add remaining onions.
Simmer another 45 minutes, or until beef is tender, thicken if required.
Pour over egg noodles, or roasted Red Potatoes.
Enjoy.