This recipe is from the "Best of Food and Wine; 1988 Collection"

Ingredients:

3 pounds trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch cubes
2 Tblsp unsalted butter
2 Tblsp Vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1/3 cup cognac
3 cups red Burgandy or other dry red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
2 medium shallots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tblsp tomatoe paste
4 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
1 halved celery rib
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground balck pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
12 to 16 small red potatoes, peeled
24 small white boiling onions, peeled (about 1 inch in diameter)
1 pound smoked slab bacon, thickly sliced and cut into 1/2 inch strips
3/4 pound mushrooms, quartered
Chopped parsley for garnish

Pat the beef dry. In a large flameproof casserole, melt the butter in the oil over a high heat. Add half of the beef cubes and saute, turning, until well browned all over, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, set the meat aside and repeat with the remaining cubes. Add the chopped onion and carrot and reduce the heat to moderate. Cook until the vegetales are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Return all browned meat to the casserole.

Sprinkle the flour over the meat and vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the cognac and ignite with a match. When the flames subside, add the wine, stock, shallots, garlic, tomatoe paste, parsley, bay leaf, celery, salt, pepper and thyme to the casserole. Cover and reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes; drain. In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the white onions until tender, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size, drain well.

Put the bacon in another saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, drain and rinse under cold water. Repeat if the bacon is very salty or smoky. Drain well, pat dry. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp on the outside, yet still soft on the inside, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the bacon. Add the mushrooms and saute over high heat until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. With a slotted spoon, remove and set aside. Add the white onions and saute over moderately high heat until browned, about 5 minutes.

When the beef is tender, use a skimmer or slotted spoon to transfer it to a flameproof serving dish or casserole. Add the potatoes, onions, mushrooms and bacon. Skim any fat off the sauce and season with additinal salt and pepper to taste. Strain the sauce over the meat and vegetables. (The recipe can be made to this point up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Before serving, reheat the ragout and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors, garnish with chopped parsley.