Cremini and Beef Bourguignon

8 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips

1 pound cremini mushrooms, stemmed and cut into quarters

2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more as needed

Freshly ground black pepper

1¾ pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 large yellow onions, halved and cut crosswise into thick half-moons (about 4 cups)

12 ounce carrots, scrubbed well and cut into 1½-to-2-inch chunks

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup cognac or other brandy

1½ cups dry red wine

3 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth or mushroom broth (see headnote)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, or more as needed

⅓ cup flat-leaf parsley (leaves or chopped), for garnish

Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a plate with paper towels.

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it's lightly crisped and the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to the paper towel-lined plate. Transfer 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat to a small bowl; this will be used to saute the vegetables.

Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat; pour half of the remaining rendered bacon fat from the Dutch oven into the skillet. Evenly divide the mushrooms between the Dutch oven and skillet. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the salt over each batch of mushrooms. Cook both batches of mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until browned, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl while the meat and vegetables braise; return the Dutch oven and skillet to their medium-high-heat burners.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and a generous grinding of black pepper over the beef. Divide the beef between the Dutch oven and skillet, spreading it in a single layer. Cook until deeply browned, about 10 minutes, stirring only a few times so the meat develops a crust. Consolidate all the meat in the Dutch oven (emptying the skillet), then add the crisped bacon to the meat and remove from the heat.

Add the reserved 1 tablespoon of bacon fat to the skillet, along with the onions and carrots. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables start to soften and color, about 10 minutes. Scrape a clearing in the middle of the vegetables, then add the tomato paste; let it cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until it darkens in color a bit. Gradually, carefully add the cognac or other brandy to the skillet, stepping back a bit in case the alcohol ignites. Use a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the skillet, then dump all the contents into the Dutch oven, along with the wine, broth, thyme and bay leaves. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 to 3 hours, until the beef is silky and tender.

Uncover; use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a large, heatproof bowl. Discard the bay leaves. Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat; boil the braising liquid until it has reduced by half, which can take 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, transfer a 1-cup total mixture of carrot, onion and bacon from the braised vegetables to a blender, along with 1 cup of the reduced braising liquid. Remove the center knob from the blender lid and place a towel over the opening. Purée until smooth, then pour back into the Dutch oven; this will add body. Return the mushrooms, the beef and the remaining vegetables to the Dutch oven. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the vinegar; taste, and add salt as needed. Garnish with the parsley. Serve hot.

Serves four to six.

Nutrition values per serving (based on 6): 540 calories, 37 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 25 g fat (9 g saturated), 115 mg cholesterol, 1,160 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 11 g sugar.

Adapted from "Shroom: Mind-Bendingly Good Recipes for Cultivated and Wild Mushrooms" by Becky Selengut (Andrews McMeel, 2014)