Beef Bourguignon Cœœufs Brouillés Recipe

Season and toss

Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season evenly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then toss with 2 tablespoons of flour to coat all sides; shake off excess flour.

Brown the beef

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. In batches to avoid crowding, sear the floured beef cubes 2–3 minutes per side until well browned. Transfer browned beef to a plate and repeat until all meat is browned.

Sweat the vegetables

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pot. Add the diced onion, sliced carrot, and sliced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5–6 minutes until softened and starting to color. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and build the sauce

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in 3 tablespoons dry red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine reduce by about half (1–2 minutes).

Simmer

Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add 1 cup beef stock, 2 sprigs thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Cook 35–45 minutes until beef is tender and sauce has thickened slightly. Stir occasionally and skim foam or excess fat if needed.

Cook mushrooms

While the stew simmers (about 10 minutes before the end), in a separate small skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the halved mushrooms in a little butter or oil for 4–5 minutes until nicely browned. Add the mushrooms to the stew for the final 5–10 minutes of cooking to meld flavors.

Finish

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Keep the stew warm while preparing eggs and croissant waffle.

Beat

Crack 4 large eggs into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons milk or cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk gently until combined but not frothy. Fold in chopped chives.

Cook low and slow

Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a nonstick skillet over low–medium-low heat until melted and foamy. Pour in the egg mixture. Using a silicone spatula, stir slowly and continuously, scraping the bottom and sides to form soft curds. Cook for 3–5 minutes until eggs are softly set but still creamy. Remove from heat just before fully set; residual heat will finish them. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Prepare croissant waffle

Split each croissant horizontally to create 2 halves each. Lightly brush cut sides with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Place croissant halves, cut-side down, in a preheated waffle iron or sandwich press (medium heat). Sprinkle grated Gruyère evenly over the bottom halves before closing if your waffle iron accommodates cheese; otherwise press plain croissant halves until warmed and crisp and then sprinkle cheese on top of the bottom half and return to the iron for 30–60 seconds to melt. Toast until crisp and golden, 2–4 minutes depending on appliance.

Assemble layers

On the bottom croissant waffle half, spoon a generous 1/2 to 3/4 cup of warm beef bourguignon (meat and some sauce). Top immediately with half of the scrambled eggs (about 2 eggs' worth). Add another 1–2 tablespoons of stew if desired for moisture and flavor, then place the croissant top to form a sandwich. Repeat for second croissant waffle.

Garnish and serve

Cut sandwiches in half if desired. Sprinkle remaining chopped chives and microgreens or parsley on top. Serve immediately so the croissant remains crisp and the eggs are creamy. Provide extra stew on the side if serving family-style.