Beouf Bourguignon

I watched the movie Julia and Julie and it contrasts the life of the chef known as Julia Child in the early years of her career with Julie Powell who aspires to cook all 524 of Julia Child's recipes in 365 days.

After watching this movie I was intrigued to try some of her recipes and also to bring myself up against a challenge. The first recipe I tried was her famous "Beouf Bourguignon". It took literally hours to make but the end product was worth it! I used a nice red wine and used boiled potatoes and buttered peas. I learned how to saute mushrooms in which I actually ate mushrooms for once and braised onions. I served this on rice. The dish was so rich in flavour it was amazing! Something that would be perfect for serving while guests are over for dinner. Here is the recipe below:

Beouf Bourguignon (aka Beef Stew in Red wine with Bacon Onions and Mushrooms)
Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish I found it perfectly complemented the dish because it was so rich in flavour therefore buttered peas and buttered potato is a must! Also if you are serving the dish with a wine, use the same wine as you used in the stew or something similar to complement the food. This dish makes 6 large servings.

Ingredients:

• A 6 ounce chunk of bacon
• A 9 to 10 inch fireproof casserole 3 inches deep
• 1 Tb olive oil or cooking oil
• A slotted spoon
• 3lbs lean stewing beef cut into 2 inch cubes
• 1 sliced carrot
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp of pepper
• 2 Tb flour
• 3 cups of full-bodied young red wine such as those suggested for serving or a Chianti
• 2 to 3 cups of brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
• 1 Tb tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• A crumbled bay leaf
• The blanched bacon rind
• 18 to 24 small white onions brown braised in stock
• 1 lb quartered fresh mushrooms sauteed in butter

Method:

1. Remove rind and cut bacon into small piecces. Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes with water just covering the bacon, drain and dry (you must simmer the bacon in water if you don't do this the flavor of the bacon will overpower the entire dish). Also keep the bacon rind aside.
2. Preheat over to 450 degrees.
3. Saute the bacon in the oil over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon. Set casserole aside. Reheat until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef.
4. Dry the beef in paper towels (it wont brown properly if the meat is damp). Saute a few pieces of meat at a time in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bacon.
5. In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the sauteing fat.
6. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set aside the casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to over for 4 minutes more (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust). Remove the casserole, and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
7. Stir in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon so the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind. Bring to simmer on top of the stove. Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate the heat so liquid simmers slowly for 2 and half to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
8. When the beef is cooking prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set aside until needed. See these two recipes below.
9. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over the meat.
10. Skim fat off the sauce. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 and half cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix it in a few tablespoons of stock or canned bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour the sauce over meat and vegetables.
11. For immediate serving, serve with boiled buttered potatoes and peas with rice if preferred. If serving later when cold, cover and refrigerate and simmer later. I found it even tasted better when reheated again!

brown braised onions:

Ingredients:

• 18 to 24 peeled white onions
• 1 1/2 Tb butter
• 1 1/2 Tb oil
• A 9 to 10 inch enameled skillet
• 1/2 cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, or water.
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, and a 1/4 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth.

Method:

1. When the butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet add the onions (just peel them and keep them whole) and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful and try to let the onions stay intact.
2. Pour in the liquid, season to taste and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet. Serve them as they are, the liquid should have formed a type of gravy that will taste amazing!

Sauteed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• A 10 inch enameled skillet
• 2 Tb butter
• 1 Tb oil
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms washed, well dried, left whole if small or sliced or quartered if large.
• Optional: 1 to 2 Tb minced shallots or green onions
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating that is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their saute the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove the heat.
2. Toss the shallots of the green onions with mushrooms. Saute over moderate heat for 2 minutes.

The recipe is difficult and a long process. Though so worth it! Enjoy!

~ V