1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut bacon into 1½ inch pieces.
3. Sauté bacon in 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes in an enameled cast iron casserole until lightly brown. Remove bacon to a side dish (I use a mixing bowl as you are also going to put the beef here as you brown it).
4. Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat the bacon fat until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. As you brown the beef, remove pieces and add it to the bowl with the bacon.  Keep going until you have browned all the beef.
5. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables.
6. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
7. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and stir to coat lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle of the hot oven for 4minutes.
8. Stir the meat and return to oven for4 minutes (this browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust). Remove casserole and turn oven down to 300ᵒ F.
9. Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.
10. Add the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.
11. Put the lid on the casserole dish, place in the oven and cook for for 3 to 4 hours until meat is soft when pierced with a fork.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

1. Heat 1½ tbsp butter with 1½ tbsp of oil until bubbling in a frying pan. Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly. Add ½ c of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.
2. Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. When butter is hot, add mushrooms. Toss and shake pan for 4 to5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.
3. When the meat is tender remove the meat with a slotted spoon.  Simmer sauce until desired thickness (skim off fat if there is any).  If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. You should have about 2½ c of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. Taste carefully for seasoning. Return meat, mushrooms and onions to sauce, simmer 2 or three minutes until everything is hot and serve.  

How to Peel Pearl Onions

1. Cut off the root ends of the onions.
2. Place onions in boiling water and leave them to sit for two minutes.
3. Drain the pearl onions in a colander or strainer, then immediately dump them into the bowl of ice water.
4. When they are cool enough to handle, squeeze the stem end of each onion to pop them out of their outer skin.