There’s almost nothing I enjoy more than entertaining family and friends. I delight in every part of the process: selecting the menu, making my lists, shopping for ingredients, prepping the dishes, setting the table and choosing the platters, planning every detail of the evening. It is a total labor of love for me.
This dinner party was for a couple of my dearest friends who had just returned from months of traveling. I wanted the evening to be really special. In the waning days of summer, the first bit of chill was in the air and that inspired me to put together a comforting, yet elegant menu. I chose classic French bistro fare: Boeuf Bourguignon, Celeri Remoulade, and a Plum Frangipane Tart. It all comes down to planning: most of this meal can be prepared in advance, leaving me only to finish a few final touches on the day of the party. With all the garnishes prepped and the hors d’oeuvres laid out, I’m relaxed and ready for a wonderful evening…time to light the candles, turn on the music, and pour the wine!
Act One: Boeuf Bourguignon
Now I’ll admit, this dish is a bit more challenging than most of the cooking I usually offer here, but it’s well worth the effort and so impressive to serve! The beauty part is, it can be completely ready and waiting before your guests arrive. And, if you play your cards right, you will have plenty leftover, too. The steps to this recipe are not difficult, but there are many of them–if you prep the ingredients before you begin to cook (do a mise en place), you’ll be ahead of the game.
Bacon adds a wonderful layer of smokiness to this dish. If you can find slab bacon, use it, if not, a thick cut will work just as well. I prefer Applewood smoked uncured bacon, because it has wonderful flavor without the nitrites and nitrates. Stack the slices and cut them into skinny pieces or lardons.
This stew is a slow braise which calls for an inexpensive cut of meat. Beef chuck is in order, but when I buy beef that has already been cut for stew at the market, I can never be too sure what I’ve got until I open the package. To take matters in your own hands, buy boneless beef chuck steak so that can be trimmed to your liking. An extra step, but easy to do. Cut the steak into 2 inch strips, trimming away excess fat, and then cut into cubes. Some fat here is good–it will melt away during the slow cooking and add incredible flavor to the dish.
Be sure to pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels to insure they will caramelize well in the pot. Season liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. In a large cast iron dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the bacon, cook until browned and then remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.
Place 1/2 cup flour (preferably Wondra) into a large sealable plastic bag. Add batches of the beef cubes to the bag, seal and toss to coat with the flour.
Add the beef to the pot in small batches, being careful not to crowd the pan. Cook until brown on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove meat with a slotted spoon to a plate and then repeatedly add batches until all the meat is cooked.
Finely chop 2 Spanish onions. Peel and trim a bunch of carrots. Cut them into 2 inch diagonal pieces. Chop 2 garlic cloves.
Add the onions and carrots to the fat in the pot and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are slightly brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Now for the fun part: add 1/2 cup Cognac to the pot, stand back and ignite, using a long match, to burn off the alcohol. Can you see the flames?
When the flames die down, add the bacon and meat back to the pot, with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Add an entire bottle of Burgundy wine to the stew–a good bottle, one you would actually drink. Add enough beef stock (about 2 to 3 cups) to almost cover the meat.
Make a bouquet garni: trim a celery stalk and place several thyme sprigs and a couple of bay leaves on top. Secure with a piece of kitchen twine. Add the bouquet to the pot, along with 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and stir in. Bring the pot to a simmer, cover and place in the oven for 1 1/4 hours.
At this point, you can remove the stew from the oven, let it cool and refrigerate overnight. Braises always taste better the next day, as the flavors have a chance to meld. And it’s much easier to remove the fat once it’s been chilled–just use a large spoon to skim it away from the surface.
Remove the bouquet garni. If you’ve refrigerated your beef, slowly bring it back to a simmer over low heat. In the meantime, prepare the onions and mushrooms that will garnish the stew. These two vegetables can also be prepared the day before and chilled separately in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before adding to the pot. I found these beautiful baby red and yellow cippolini onions at the farmer’s market, but you can use white pearl onions instead.
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and blanch the onions for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt the cooking. Using a small paring knife, peel the skins from the onions.
Add a tablespoon of butter to a 2 1/2 quart saucepan and, when the foam subsides, add the peeled onions. Sauté until onions start to turn golden. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook, stirring, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze, another 5 to 8 minutes.
Trim stem ends of cremini or button mushrooms. Halve or quarter them if they’re large–mine were nice and tiny, so I left them whole. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes until mushroom liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are golden brown. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
When the beef comes up to temperature, add the vegetables to the stew. Stir the pot and taste–adjust seasoning if needed. Divide portions of the beef into shallow bowls, being sure to evenly distribute the carrots, onions and mushrooms. Spoon the sauce on top and garnish with finely chopped chives. Serve the stew with warm, crusty bread, Celeri Remoulade (recipe coming soon), and a simple green salad. C’est magnifique!
Serves 8 to 10:
extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces slab or thick cut bacon
4 pounds beef chuck steak, preferably organic
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 spanish onions, chopped
1 bunch carrots, peeled and trimmed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
1 bottle good quality Burgundy wine
2 to 3 cups beef stock
Bouquet Garni:
1 celery stalk, trimmed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 pound baby cippolini or pearl onions
1 pound cremini or button mushrooms
fresh chives, finely chopped for garnish
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Ooh, thanks Phyllis! It did smell pretty wonderful in here that night… 🙂
I am so hungry from just reading the ingredients and reading the process…thought I might have sensed the fragrance for a small moment!