Beef Burgundy the Julia Child way. Browned beef, carrots and onions, with a bouquet of herbs in cheesecloth.
Pearl onions and mushrooms sauteed separately on the side. Heat veg in the dish before serving.

I prefer the finished result to the CI method, even with just one bottle of Charles Shaw from TJ. Richer flavor and deeper sauce with only a little more effort. Both recipes are leisurely cooking so might as well go whole hog.

From Mastering the Art of French Cooking, a book so well organized, it makes you wonder why not everyone writes them like this... A great read, unlike the encyclopedic French classics, with useful notation. Ingredients are detailed on the left with coherent instructions on the right. In depth variations,such as Carbonnades a la Flamande, follow the master recipe for beef stew. Plus the techniques and explanations to achieve results. Oh, and a sense of humor besides.