Len's Recipe of the Month - January 2024

 

Well, it's not exactly my recipe.   This is Julia Child's famous Beef Bourguignon.  And I duplicated with two small variations.

I approach new recipes with caution.  I will always check out my favorite on-line chefs---Laura Vitali, Sip and Feast, and Valerie Bertinelli---for their take first. And guidance from America's Test Kitchen is also welcomed.   The variations from Julia were small.   She parboils bacon before browning it.   Unnecessary in my book.  The other difference came from Laura and Sip.   She cooks it on the stove.  Sip puts it in the oven.   I opted for the latter.  But, except for not having a bay leaf in the house, I followed Julia to a tee.   And I think it worked.

There are a lot of steps so take notes.   First off, get a 2-3 pound chuck roast and cut it up into two inch pieces.   Place in a bowl and thoroughly cover with a mix of flour, salt, and pepper.   Put aside.

In a Dutch oven, brown 1/2 pound of bacon cut into inch-long strips.   Brown for about ten minutes.   Remove and drain with a paper towel.

The bacon should have rendered some grease and brown bits so you will use that to brown the meat.  Pour the beef in, along with the rest of flour mixture.  When they get nice color, remove.

Now, again to the Dutch oven, add two to three carrots cut in two inch piece.  Add a chopped onion.   If there isn't much liquid on the bottom, add a few drops of water.  

Now add six cloves of minced garlic, along with a a tablespoon of tomato paste.

Okay, here comes the liquor.   Laura Vitali adds some cognac first...a shot glass full.  I didn't have cognac so I used brandy.   Then pour in three cups of a chianti or pinot noir wine.   Don't use a cabernet or anything pricey.   It will burn off anyway.   Three cups is mostly one bottle with enough wine left over for a glass with the finished product.

Add three cups of beef broth, along with some thyme.   Stir it all together.  Cover the pot and put in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees.   This will all need to cook for 2.5 to 3 hours.  

When you get to the two hour mark, you want to start on the two other essentials for this dish.   In a pan with butter, saute a pound of sliced mushrooms.  Then add about eight ounces of thawed pearl onions (most people buy them frozen).  Pour the mushrooms and the onions into the Dutch oven and let it stay in the oven another ten minutes or so.

And, then, as Julia would say, bon appetit!

Dinner last night:  Swedish meatballs.