Beef dish warms up cold, rainy day

I can’t imagine a better dinner for a cold, rainy day than this slow cooker Boeuf Bourguignon, courtesy of the Clos du Bois winery in Sonoma County. Just add a warm fire and a glass of cabernet — and perhaps a couple of episodes of “The Crown” on Netflix. Heaven!

Prep this simple dish in the morning, set your slow cooker on low for 8 hours, and you’ll have a delicious meal ready for a weeknight dinner.

You can find many more recipes that pair well with the Clos du Bois wines online at www.closdubois.com/recipes.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon from Clos du Bois

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 ounces pancetta

3 pounds of stew beef, cut into cubes

1 large onion, chopped finely

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup red potatoes, chopped

2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced thinly

3 tablespoons butter, divided

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 1/2 cups Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon

½ pound mushrooms, sliced

Crisp the pancetta in a skillet. Add the cubed beef to the pan and brown on both sides. Set the meat aside. In the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and cook onion, garlic, potatoes and carrots, seasoning with salt and pepper.

In your slow cooker, add the meat and vegetables and all other ingredients, except the mushrooms, adding the wine last. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 9 hours. Before serving, sauté mushrooms in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and gently stir into the stew. Enjoy with a glass of Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon.

chris.ross@sduniontribune.com