For Marinating:

Cut the beef into 1” cubes. Place the beef in a large sealable container.

Roughly chop the fennel stems and tops into 2” pieces and add to the beef.

Cut the ends off of the parsnips, peel and chop into 1 ½” rounds and add to the container of beef.

Peel and chop the onion into 1 ½” sections and add to the container.

Peel the garlic and add to the beef and vegetable mixture.

Add the red wine and the seasonings and give a good stir.

Add half of the sprigs of thyme and half of the bay leaves, cover and refrigerate 24-48 hours.

Cooking the Stew:

Remove from the refrigerator and separate the beef from the vegetables, reserving the liquid. Pat the beef dry and toss with the cornstarch. Set aside.

Cut the bacon into ¼” pieces and place in a 6 qt. Dutch oven or oven safe pot. Cook the bacon until medium to medium-well done. Remove the bacon and drain on clean paper towels.

Place the leeks in the pot with the bacon grease and cook about 15 minutes or until they are lightly caramelized. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the butter and a tablespoon of oil to the pot, then add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add more oil to the pan and wait until it is hot. Add the beef to the pot in two or three batches to prevent the meat from sweating and to create a nice brown sear on all of the pieces.

When all of the beef is seared off  and removed from the pot, add the tomato paste, beef stock and reserved marinade juices to the pot and stir. Then, add the bacon, mushrooms and leeks back into the pot, along with the thyme and bay leaves, cover and place in the oven at 300° for 4 hours.

Remove from the oven and withdraw the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the pot. Garnish with reserved leeks, chives or parsley.