Team Chi Wulff would more or less prefer to use a grill to cook every meal. Even breakfast.
That said, now and again it’s imperative that a more high-brow meal grace the table.
We tend to rustle up a bit more high-brow fare for special celebratory meals or the holidays, particularly during the cold weather season when fly fishing isn’t an all day affair. At our house, She Who Must Be Obeyed spent a few years in Europe during her early years and developed a taste for hearty, French country cooking.
One of the best recipes she’s graced us with over the years has been this - ME’s Beef Bourguignon.
The ingredient list is perhaps a bit long compared to some. Prep and stove time is well under an hour, and there’s two and half or three hours of oven time. Nothing to it.
I’ll bet you tomorrow’s gift from Santa that you’ve never smelled anything better wafting from the oven on a chilly winter’s day.
Ours will go in the oven this afternoon and will cook through the Christmas Eve tamale dinner. This recipe is even better the next day……
4 lb beef chuck, cut into 1” pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
5 tbs butter
4 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 lb bacon, medium dice
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
4 carrots, cut in 1/2” diagonals
2 leeks, green trimmed, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
2 cups burgundy / pinot noir wine (might need more)
1-14.5 ounce can beef broth
20 small white or Cippolini onions
1 lb mushrooms, small, quartered
Another 3 tbs butter
Juice of one lemon
1 tbs sugar
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Brown the meat. Preheat your trusty oven to 350. Combine the flour, salt and pepper – then dredge the meat. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat and add 2 tbs butter and 2 tbs oil; brown the meat. You’ll need to do this in batches to ensure the meat truly browns – if you over crowd the meat it will steam and not develop that crispy, deep brown crust. That brown, crispy crust is absolutely essential. Add more butter and olive oil as needed for subsequent batches.
As the meat browns place it in a large dutch oven or deep roasting pan. When you’re done browning the meat, deglaze the skillet with the brandy, stirring to loosen the crusty brown goodness left behind in the skillet and pour over the meat.
Vegetables round one. In the same skillet add the bacon, garlic, carrots, leeks and 1/4 cup of parsley. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the bacon is crisp and the vegetables are starting to caramelize. Add
the thyme and bay leaves, stir once more, and then add to the meet in the skillet.
Add the wine and broth, making sure the meat is just covered. It might take a little more that the ingredient list calls for to cover the mixture. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Vegetables Round two. While the meat’s cooking above, boil several cups of water and pour over the onions in a small bowl, soaking them for a minute or two, drain, cool and peel the onions – their skins will slip right off.
Saute the onions and quartered mushrooms in in 3 tbs butter until just beginning to caramelize. Sprinkle the lemon juice and sugar in, stir well, and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the mushroom / onion mixture to the beef and cook for at least another hour or until the beef is tender.
Serve to your grateful diners. Skim the fat off, remove the bay leaves and sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley. Best over rice or egg noodles, and it’s even better the next day.
A simple salad, fresh french bread and a bottle or two of wine and you’re ready to entertain royalty.
Or even your slack-jawed brother in law.
Enjoy.
Tags: Friday Feast
