Beef Carbonnade

Brittany is the England of France: pubs replace bistros, beer trumps wine, and carbonnade is their boeuf bourguignonne. Carbonnade takes advantage of the high moisture and sugar content of onions, simmering them until they collapse into a sweet, pungent syrup. Add a bottle of beer, the richness of well-exercised beef, some brown sugar, a few herbs, and several hours in a slow cooker, and you’ve got the heartiness of a British stew tweaked with a bit of je ne sais quoi.