PREP: Mise the recipe ahead of time.

1. Fabricate the aromatic vegetables:

• Peel and mince the carrot.
• Peel and mince the celery.
• Mince about ⅓ of the onion.
• Thin-slice the remaining onion with the grain.
• Mince the step 1 garlic.

2. Fabricate the proteins:

• Cut the bacon strip widthwise into lardons.
• Trim any surface fat from the beef. 
• Use a sharp boning knife to separate the muscle bundles, pulling them apart as you cut.  Remove the thick surface membrane encasing the muscles along with any remaining fat.
• Cut the beef into 1 ½-inch cubes.  

3. Make the carbonnade:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F.
• Place a sauté pan over medium heat until hot.  Add half of the step 3 oil and half of the butter, then add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt.  Turn the heat to low and then cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes until the the onion caramelizes golden brown.  If the onion looks scorchy, add a little water to soften it and then allow the water to reduce away.  Transfer the onion to a container and wipe out the pan.
• Blot the beef dry with paper towels, then season with salt.  Toss the beef with half the flour.
• Place the sauté pan over medium heat until hot.  Add the remaining oil, and then the beef.  Sauté, turning the cubes to brown them on all sides.  Take care that the suc, or browned protein forming on the pan surface, doesn’t over-brown.  Remove the beef to an oven-proof casserole.  Create the fond, or flavor base, by adding about ⅓ of the beer and deglazing the pan.  Pour the fond into the casserole with the beef.
• Return the pan to the burner and add the bacon lardons.  Fry over low heat until the fat renders out and the lardons become slightly crisp.  Transfer the lardons to the casserole.
• Add the minced onion, carrot, and celery to the pan along with the remaining butter.  Sauté about 1 minute until the vegetables are lightly browned.  Stir in the minced garlic.
• Add the reserved flour and stir about 30 seconds longer to make a brown roux. 
• Slowly stir in the remaining beer in a thin stream to avoid lumping, and then stir in the broth.  Bring the sauce to the boil and season lightly with salt.  Lower the heat and then simmer about 5 minutes until lightly thickened.  Add the brown sugar and vinegar.
• Pour the sauce over the beef in the casserole and add the thyme and bay leaf.  Cover the casserole, place it in the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes.
• Uncover the casserole and bake for about 20 minutes longer until the beef is almost tender and the sauce achieves a light nappé consistency.
• Stir in the caramelized onions and bake 10 minutes longer. 
• Taste and evaluate the seasoning.  Add salt if needed.
• If prepping ahead, cool the carbonnade to room temperature and store in a container.

4. Coarse-grate the Gruyère cheese and place it in a plastic bag.

5. If necessary, make the Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

6. Assemble the remaining mise-en-place ingredients.

HOLD: Refrigerate all ingredients up to 5 days.

COOK!  Finish and plate your dinner.

7. Adjust an oven rack so that the top of the casserole will be in the top of the oven, under the broiler.  Preheat the oven to 475°F.

8. If necessary, return the carbonnade to the casserole and reheat in the oven.  Check the sauce consistency: if too thick, thin with a little water or broth.  If too thin, pour off the sauce into a sauté pan and reduce.

9. Prepare cheese croutes:

• Cut the ciabatta into slices a little less than ½ inch thick.  Determine how many slices are needed to cover the surface of the casserole in one layer, and place them in a toaster.  Toast golden brown, and then cool to room temperature.
• Place the remaining ciabatta slices in a bread basket and cover with plastic film to prevent drying.
• Peel the step 9 garlic and put it in a garlic press.  Press a little garlic onto each croute and rub it across the surface with a paring knife.
• Spread the mustard on the surface of the croutes.
• Top each croute with Gruyère cheese and press to help it adhere.

10. Assemble and bake:

• Arrange the cheese croutes on top of the casserole in a single layer, and then scatter the remaining cheese evenly on top.
• Place in the oven under the broiler.  Watch carefully, and rotate the casserole if necessary for even heating.  Broil until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.
• Optionally, use a kitchen torch to complete the browning.

11. Dress the salad:

• Place the watercress in a bowl.  Drizzle the vinaigrette over it and toss to coat lightly. 

12. Plate:

• Divide the salad into individual bowls.
• Chop the parsley leaves.
• Serve the carbonnade: Use a spoon to break apart the cheese layer, freeing up even-sized portions of the croute topping.  Then dig down into the casserole to lift up an ample spoonful with its cheese croute on top. Place croute-topped portions of the carbonnade into warmed pasta plates.
• Strew a line of parsley diagonally across each plate.
• Place the bread basket and peppermill on the table.