Wednesday’s post was an overview and gave highlights of my family’s French vacation this year. Today on the menu is the local cuisine of Bourgogne. Probably the most famous and well-known cuisine of Bourgogne is Boeuf Bourguignon. Two of the most important ingredients for this meal are the Charolais cows (only native to this region) and Burgundy red wine.
Charolais Cattle roaming the French Countryside
Here are two of the Boeuf Bourguignon that my family had during our time in Bourgogne! Read Monday’s post HERE for descriptions and other foods from these restaurants.
Auberge Bourguignonne Boeuf Bourguignon with Homemade Noodles
Caveau des Arches Boeuf Bourguignon
In honor of Julia Child’s 101st birthday today, I will give you her recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon!
1 6 Ounce Chunk of Bacon
Remove rind and cut bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4 inch think and 1 1/2 inches long)
Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water
Drain and Dry
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1 TBSP Olive Oil or Cooking Oil
3 Pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2inch cubes
1 Sliced Carrot
1 Sliced Onion
1 TSP Salt
1/4 TSP Pepper
2 TBSP Flour
Saute the bacon in oil over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes to brown lightly
Remove to an oven-safe dish with a slotted spoon, and set dish aside
Reheat fat until it is almost smoking
Dry the beef in paper towels (it will not brown if it is damp)
Saute beef, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides
Add beef to bacon in dish
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables
Discard the sauteing fat
Season beef and bacon with salt and pepper
Then sprinkle on the flour and toss to coat the beef lightly
Set dish, uncovered in middle rack of oven and bake for 4 minutes
Remove, toss meat, and return dish to oven for 4 more minutes
3 Cups of a full-bodied, young red wine (from the Burgundy region since we are making Beef Burgundy!)
2-3 Cups brown beef stock
1 TBSP Tomato Pasted
2 Cloves Garlic, mashed
1/2 TSP Thyme
1 Bay Leaf, crumbled
Blanched bacon rind (from above)
18-24 small white onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
Place dish on stove and stir wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered
Add tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind
Bring pot to simmer
Then cover the dish and set in lower third of preheated oven
Simmer in oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until a fork easily pierces the meat
(You may have to add more liquid as the meat cooks)
With 30 minutes left for meat to cook, saute onions and mushroom in butter on stove
When meat is tender, pour the contents of the dish into a sieve set over a saucepan
Rinse the dish and return contents of sieve to dish
Place cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat
Skim fat off the contents of saucepan (will become your sauce)
Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises
You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce think enough to coat a spoon lightly
If too thin, boil it down rapidly
If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock
Taste and season accordingly
Pour sauce over beef and vegetables
When ready to serve, spoon beef, vegetables, and stock over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoe
If you have any questions about this recipes feel free to email me at newsforchews@gmail.com or leave them in the comments below!
Have a great weekend and stay hungry…
News For Chews 