Wolf's Den

Our May 2012 Daring Cooks’ hostess was Fabi of fabsfood. Fabi challenged us to make Boeuf Bourguignon, a classic French stew originating from the Burgundy region of France.



I love my new computer. My new computer is perfect, it can do no wrong.

Ahem. Sorry.

Because my new computer decided to be such a pain and ended up having to be sent to Dell for repair, I ended up losing most of my original 'making of' photos. So I've actually done this Challenge twice this month. Mark was so bummed. Heh.

The first time you see pictured up top. That one I made last week and served it over German Spatzle noodles.



This version I made last night for the BiL, SiL and niece and was served over mashed potatoes. We actually prefer it over the mashed potatoes, honestly.

Now, the Challenge uses the Julia Child version of this recipe. I, however, am contrary and I used my fav recipe- Anthony Bourdain Les Halles version that we vastly prefer.

Both recipes are included.





First gather all your ingredients. Now, according to my butcher
, beef neck and shoulder isn't in high demand and would need to be special ordered. He recommended aged ribeye, as that would be the nearest cut to neck or shoulder. So that's what I used.



Like I said, I used the Les Halles version of this recipe. This is not the first time I've made it since Mark gave me this cookbook for Christmas last year. It's a great and quick recipe.



First make your bouquet garni. Mine includes fresh herbs from my own garden, such as Greek Oregano, Thyme, Rosemary, Bay leaves. Occasionally I'll add some Sage, but right now, my plant isn't quite large enough for any sort of good harvesting. Generally you would tie the herbs together with cooking twine, but since I'm out of that and forgot t get any, I used sewing thread. Hey, whatever works, right?



Next up, place your cubed/chopped meat in a bowl and liberally season it with salt, pepper and (optionally) garlic powder. Toss to coat thoroughly.



Chop your carrots and slice your onions, then set aside. Because my carrots weren't really large in diameter, I ended up using 8 of them. I also used 2 large red onions.



Place a dutch oven or other heavy bottom stock pot on the stove and heat the olive oil until it's nearly smoking.



In batches, brown your meat thoroughly on all sides, taking care not to crowd the pan as you do so. Remove each batch to a separate bowl as you work. Sneak tastes of the smaller pieces as you brown it, you know, for taste testing and quality control. Hey, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. It's also the reason I tend to use half a pound to a full pound MORE than what's called for.}:P



After the meat has been browned, add the onions. Stir them around and saute until soft and rich, golden brown- this will take roughly 7-10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to thoroughly coat, scraping the bottom as you go.



Have the husband open the mini bottles of wine for you as you cook the onions. I used Gallo Cabernet Sauvignon in this one. I have used a Merlot before, but the flavor wasn't as rich and deep.



Gradually add the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan as you add it. It should bubble and almost immediately start to thicken.



Now, you're supposed to add the meat back in first, but I, uh, don't. Instead I add the chopped garlic, then the carrots, stir it all. Then I add the bouquet garni , then, last the meat.}:P By now, of course, everyone is sniffing the air appreciatively and wondering when dinner is.



See this? This is a big ol' container of really rich demi-glace. I actually made this on Tuesday. And this container will last me a good while too. I highly recommend making some yourself. It's really easy- simply roast some beef soup bones, then make stock and reduce* that until you get a really thick gravy like stuff. Then you strain it and the result is this stuff.

Anyway, I added 2 heaping spoonfuls to my stew and mixed it in. It melts almost immediately upon hitting the hot stew.

* I started out with my large 16 quart stock pot and a 2 quart stock pot.So 18 qurts to star. That was reduced to my 12 quart stock pot, then to my 2 quart stock pot, which was then reduced again by half. When all saide and down, I think I got roughly 2 pints worth of demi-glace. It took 2 days. Yeah.



Add either beef stock or water to the stew. Enough to cover the meat by at least 1/3. Some meat will float. Alternatively, you could add more wine to cover it. The liquid will reduce as it cooks, so you want to be sure you start out with plenty.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 2 hours, stirring ever so often, scraping the bottom to make sure it doesn't settle and scorch, as well as getting the good stuff- called 'fond' apparently- off the bottom.



At about 1.5 hours in, the liquid will have reduced by nearly a third, resulting in a rich, thick gravy. Remove the bouquet garni and , optionally, add the mushrooms, stirring to mix them in. At the 2 hour mark, the liquid should be reduced to nearly half, the meat is fork tender and the vegetables and mushrooms are also very tender.



This time, like I said, we served it over mashed potatoes. And like last week, and the times before, it was just as delicious. It was a big hit with the InLaws as well.

Thanks, Fabi, for a great Challenge that happens to be a favorite of ours!

THE RECIPES


Les Halles Boeuf Bourguignon

2lb beef shoulder or neck- this can be difficult to find, so if you have a local butcher, as for aged ribeye and have it cut into chunks similar to stew beef, as ribeye is the next closest cut to neck or shoulder
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 onions, sliced thin- I used 2 large red onions
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup red Burgandy wine- I've used Cabernet with great results, it is a burgandy after all. I also upped it to 3 cups and reduced the amount of water or stock
6 carrots, chopped into 1-1/2" pieces
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 bouquet garni - mine has fresh oregano, thyme, bay leaves and rosemary, yours can vary by whatever fresh herbs you want, really
chopped flat leaf parsely
water or beef stock
demi-glace (optional, but I highly recommend it)

My addition- baby button mushrooms. Garlic powder

Directions (paraphrased)-

Season the meat with the salt, pepper and optional garlic powder. Toss to thoroughly coat well. In a dutch oven or other heavy bottom stock pot, heat the olive oil until almost smoking. Brown the meat- in batches so as not to crowd the pot- on all sides and set aside.

Add the onions to the pot and saute until soft and rich brown. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to coat, scraping the bottom to get the good stuff- called fond- off. Gradually add the red wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add the meat, carrots, garlic and bouquet garni. Stir to combine. Add the demi-glace if desired. Add enough stock or water- I prefer stock- to cover the meat by 1/3. Some meat will float, but you want enough liquid that the majority is well covered.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer, stirring every 10-15 minutes, scraping the bottom, for roughly 2 hours, until liquid has reduced by at least half and meat is fork tender. During that 2 hours, skim off any foam that forms on the top.

My addition- About 1.5 hours into the simmer, add the mushrooms and stir to combine.

Remove the bouquet garni, add chopped parsely (or you could sprinkle it over the plate like I do) and serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.


BOEUF BOURGUIGNON ( Julia Child version)
Ingredients for 6 people:

Ingredients
1 x 6 oz (200 gm) chunk of streaky bacon
Olive oil
3 pounds (1⅓ kg) stewing beef cut into 2 inches (5 cm) cubes
1 teaspoon (5 ml) (6 gm) salt
½ teaspoon (5 ml) (2 gm) pepper
3 tablespoons (45 ml) (1 oz/30 gm) flour
3 cups (1½ pint/720 ml) of young red wine. Suggestions: Bourgogne, of course, but also Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Rioja etc., depending on your country and your taste. Being Spanish, my choice this time was a good Rioja. It really has to be a good one but it hasn’t necessarily to be a very expensive one, you know, il ne faut pas exagérer
1 carrot, sliced (I prefer to cut it into chunks, but that's just my taste)
1 onion, sliced in julienne
1 ½ to 2 cups (¾ to 1 pint/355 to 475 ml) of beef stock or beef bouillon
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (½ oz/15 gm) tomato paste or tomato puree
2 cloves mashed garlic
½ teaspoon (2½ ml) (1 gm) thyme leaves
1 bay leave (Julia says it has to be crushed, I prefer not to crush it so that I can remove it at the end of the process)
The blanched bacon rind
18-24 small onions, brown-braised in stock
1 pound (½ kg) mushrooms sautéed in butter (Champignons are perfect for this purpose)
Fresh parsley sprigs to serve

Directions:

1.Prepare the bacon: Remove the rind. Cut the bacon into lardons (Sticks, ¼ inch thick and ½ inch (5 mm x 15 mm) long) and simmer everything in 4 cups (1 litre) of water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry carefully with paper towels.

2.Dry the meat cubes carefully with paper towels.

3.Preheat oven to hot 450ºF/230ºC/gas mark 8

4.In a fireproof casserole or a frying pan, sauté the lardons in a tablespoon of olive oil for 2-3 minutes until they’re lightly brown. Remove them to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

5.In the same casserole/pan, sauté the beef until it’s golden brown. Remove it to the side dish where you keep the bacon and set aside.

6.Still in the same casserole/pan, sauté the carrot and the onion.

7.Return the bacon and the beef to the casserole. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, then add the flour and toss.

8.Place the casserole/dish uncovered in the middle position of the oven for 4 minutes. This gives the meat a lovely crust.

9.Remove the casserole/dish from the oven. Stir in the wine, stock, tomato paste, mashed garlic cloves, thyme, bay and the blanched bacon rind.

10.Bring it to simmering point on the stove. Now, if you were using a frying pan, discard it and put the stew in an oven proof dish.

11.Cover the casserole/dish (If your dish doesn't have a lid, use aluminum foil and stretch it to the edges of the dish in order to minimize the loss of juices) and place it low in the oven. Adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers very slowly, it has to go on for 3-4 hours.

12.While the stew is cooking, prepare onions and mushrooms. For the onions: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a frying pan and sauté the peeled onions until golden brown. Add beef stock until they’re almost covered and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until almost all the liquid disappears and they’re tender but keep their shape. Set aside.

13.Prepare the mushrooms as well: Wash quarter and sauté them in 2 tablespoons butter. Keep on stirring until they’re nicely brown. Set aside.

14.When meat is tender, put the stew into a sieve over a saucepan, wash out the casserole and return the stew to it. Put onions and mushrooms over the meat.

15.Skim the fat off the sauce. Put the saucepan on the stove and simmer it for 2-3 minutes. Skim additional fat if it rises. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If not, boil it until it thickens. If it’s too thick, stir in some stock or bouillon to make it lighter.

16.Pour the sauce over the stew. Put the casserole on the stove or in the oven and reheat for 2-3 minutes. Serve it in the casserole with some sprigs of fresh parsley. Some goods sides are potatoes, noodles or rice.

Freezing/Storage Instructions/Tips: You can keep leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you want to freeze it, it lasts up to 3 months.


Notes:

•This recipe gives its best when prepared in a Dutch oven (Aka cocotte, cast iron casserole, or simply casserole). It’s not mandatory to have one, I know it’s an expensive thing but if you really love to cook, it is an excellent investment. Otherwise, an oven proof dish with a lid, or sealed with aluminum foil, will do the trick.

•I confess sometimes I skip the skimming process. If you don’t use too much oil or butter and you remove all the fat from the meat, it is not mandatory at all (this is just my opinion)

•Some people add, 10 minutes before serving, a couple of spoonfuls of beurre manié (A paste made of 50% flour and 50% butter) in order to thicken the sauce and make it look more brilliant. I don’t add it cause I like the sauce just the way it is, but if you heard about it and want to try, please feel free to do it.

•I know some people hate mushrooms. If this is your case, just don’t add them. And have no sense of guilt at all.


VEGETARIAN BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

Ingredients for six servings:

Ingredients
•2 carrots, cut into chunks
•1 onion, sliced
•18-24 small onions
•1 pound (450 gm) fresh fresh mushrooms, quartered
•3 cloves garlic, mashed
•Black pepper
•Olive oil
•½ kg/1 pound Tofu (You can substitute Seitan or beefless tips), diced
•3 tablespoons (45 ml) (1 oz/30 gm) flour
•1 cup (240 ml) young red wine (See suggestions above)
•2 cups (480 ml) vegetable stock
•2 tablespoons (30 ml) (½ oz/15 gm) tomato paste or puree
•1 bay leaf
•1 teaspoon (5 ml) (2 gm) fresh thyme
•1-2 sprigs fresh thyme to decorate

Directions:
1.Sauté the Tofu in the casserole with some drops of olive oil until is nicely brown. Put on a side dish. Set aside.

2.Prepare the small onions: Sauté the peeled onions in the same casserole with a tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown. Add vegetable stock (about ¾ cup) until they’re almost covered and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until almost all the liquid disappears and they’re tender but keep their shape. Put on a side dish. Set aside.

3.Prepare the mushrooms as well: Wash, quarter and sauté them with a tablespoon of olive oil in the same casserole. Keep on stirring until they’re nicely brown. Put on a side dish. Set aside.

4.Still using the same casserole, sauté onion an carrot. When everything is golden brown, stir in the flour and keep on stirring 3-4 minutes, until vegetables are golden brown and a nice crust appears.

5.Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, black pepper, stock and wine. Give it a good stir, bring to simmer point and cook for 20 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.

6.Add the small onions, the mushrooms and the Tofu to the casserole and stir carefully. Cook for another couple of minutes.

7.Serve with some fresh parsley sprigs on top.


Freezing/Storage Instructions/Tips: You can store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Is possible to freeze it but my advise is: Better don’t freeze it since tofu looses its texture and properties.

Additional Information:
Julia Child making Boeuf Bourguignon - Please, please, pretty please check it out, it’s simply fantastic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrnXvE9Fqdo)

Jamie Oliver’s Boeuf Bourguignon (http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/boeuf-bourguignon)

Gordon Ramsay’s Boeuf Bourguignon (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/426620/gordons-boeuf-bourguignon)

About the differences between a braise and a stew: The Kitchn. Interview with David Zino, chef in the official Beef Checkoff Culinary Center’s. (http://www.thekitchn.com/the-difference-between-braisin-71988)

Bibliography:
“Mastering the art of French Cooking”, Julia Child
“On Food and Cooking”, Harold McGee