Julie Et Julia Difficulty With Beef Bourguignon

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Pitiful for the tardily mail service – we were making rather merry last night. It could have been the copious amounts of French food and vino that knocked me out mid-postal service, laptop on my stomach like a heating pad. I woke up at 5am with butter sweats and my contacts fused to my eyeballs. This morning my jaw is sore – near like it had been overused – got a kick-camp workout with me eating enough for a week in a couple hours.

And so this is where, final night, I began:

Friends, behold something you'll not see once more for a very long time: my dining room table, set.
(As in, my dining room table is SET, non my dining room table ready. It's a Christmas miracle!)

All I can say is it's a practiced matter I went to my Mom'southward for brunch this morning, because when information technology comes to table dressing I am a total idiot. None of her finesse in this arena seems to have worn off on me at all. If I manage to pick up a few flowers and think to stick them in a articulate vase full of cranberries, I consider myself extremely Martha. She sent me dwelling with a handbasket of chargers, linens, matching plates and a vase full of dried flowers.

Although it did look lovely, and having W spend the afternoon at my sister's may have been a contributing gene to my success, I'm not certain I could keep it up: this setting the tabular array affair is kinda for the birds. Kudos to those of yous who tin can muster linens, chargers and such every nighttime of the calendar week: it does add to the dining experience. (It also unfortunately adds to the cleaning-upwardly feel.)

But let'south get to the point, shall we? The whole reason I put shimmery red stuff on my table in the first place? Our Julie & Julia-themed dinner party! Attended by some of my favourite writer-eaters: Pierre, Gail, Gwendolyn and Cheryl and their pregnant others. It was a potluck – which are making a comeback, have you heard? I heartily recommend them – people love to bring nutrient, and if not, they tin always buy stuff. It takes the pressure off y'all, and minimizes dishes.

I fabricated – what else? Boeuf Bourguignon. In fact it was the very aforementioned Boeuf Bourguignon I made for that Christmas luncheon on Fri I didn't quite make it to – it sat covered in the barbecue for the weekend and was reheated today. That's another dandy matter about B.B – it's then freezable – and when it reheats you saute the mushrooms and pearl onions in butter right before serving, which freshens information technology upwardly similar a new coat of lipstick. In fact it was probably a good thing that the Boeuf Bourguignon was pre-made; I didn't accept a risk to get all freaked out that omigod I'thousand cooking for iv food writers who volition presumably be taking photos and then going home to write all about it. Gulp.

To be perfectly honest, I never really got what the big hoopla was about Boeuf Bourguignon. Isn't information technology just a fancied-upwards proper name for beef stew, like Potage Parmentier is to potato and leek soup? Turns out it's not. Boeuf Bourguignon is beefiness stew that really means it. That, as Molly might say, reaches out and grabs your leg under the table. Yes, it's beef that'due south been braised in wine and stock, much like stew, but it'south so much more than that. Information technology'southward rich and intense, and I think better if y'all ditch the carrot (I'd rather serve them alongside), which doesn't quite fit with the bawdy meatiness of beef, onions and mushrooms. Bourguignon (or any kind of stewing or braising, really) is likewise a great cooking method for bison, which contains far less fat than beefiness and benefits from a long, slow cooking fourth dimension.

To rewind, subsequently homemade Raincoast Crisps and French cheese (mimolette and triple crème) our kickoff course came courtesy of Gwendolyn of Patent and the Pantry; Vichysoisse, or the chilled version of Potage Parmentier. I kind of took the current of air out of her sails yesterday by posting about this – sorry Gwen! Hers was fab – smooth and creamy and succulent chilled even though information technology was 20 below outside. She even snipped chives on summit.

Gail from The Pink Peppercorn brought a lamb-filled Moussaka with from-scratch tomato sauce that took her the improve part of a twenty-four hour period to prepare – and it was well worth information technology. (Truly, anytime anyone wants to spend a twenty-four hour period cooking something that I get to eat? Totally worth the effort. To me, at least.) Her husband unmoulded it to a swell bargain of cheering – information technology slid out like a keen glistening eggplant cake that Gail then cut into wedges and W, upon arriving abode and having been promised a wedge of chocolate cake, stared disappointingly at before demanding "what'southward THAT kind of cake? That's as well gross for me."

Pierre of Kitchen Scraps brought Julia'due south Ratatouille – a delicious mélange of peppers, onions, eggplant, tomatoes and thyme that was like a warm chopped salad, and I discovered after eating far likewise much in the mode of lamb, beef and potatoes was delicious scooped on top of mixed greens. (You could in fact pack it into pocket-sized ramekins and unmould it chilled onto a leap mix, and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette? Sounds kinda fancy?)

(Sub-par photos courtesy of a 4:30pm sunset.)

He also brought what was the simplest, least-fussy dish that a few of usa may have described every bit the all-time thing on the tabular array – Pommes de Terre Sautées – potatoes cut into teeny assurance with a mini melon baller, patted dry (so that they well-baked up) and sautéed in enough of butter and oil until they transformed into what can only be described as the ultimate in upscale hash browns. Oh the crispy bits.

Cheryl of Backseat Gourmet was in charge of dessert – she outdid herself, bringing a Reine de Saba (chocolate and almond cake) with Glaçage au Chocolat (chocolate icing – too the very terminal recipe in MtheAofFC) and daringly pulling off a Soufflé au Grand Marnier (with Gwen as sous chef) in the kitchen while nosotros sat around the table. Actually, what could be more French? It was magnificent. We scooped it out warm, directly from the soufflé dish.

(Pitiful Cheryl, it's the only photo I got!)

Because Julie & Julia the movie isn't released until Tuesday, and adjacent weekend is Christmas political party high-season, nosotros watched old copies of The French Chef. But nosotros had so much fun we may gather for round ii once the movie comes out. It was a actually fun evening, and an easy theme, considering MtheAofFC is available at the library. It was a bully way to pull off a dinner party with niggling try. For bonus points: brand each guest do a dramatic reading of their recipe (in full Julia Child voice, of course) from MtheAofFC.

You'll need a recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon – here it is. I've left the other recipes for the others to post. One time they've finished digesting.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Yields1 Serving

6 slices bacon, chopped

canola or olive oil, for cooking with

3 lbs. lean stewing beefiness, cut into 2-inch cubes (I used inside and bottom round)

1 big onion, halved and sliced

table salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

three cups full-bodied red vino, such equally a Chianti

two - 3 cups brown beefiness stock or canned beef bouillon

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

ii cloves garlic, mashed

1/2 tsp. thyme

1-two Tbsp. butter

18 to 24 modest white pearl onions, peeled

1 lb button mushrooms, halved or quartered if large, and left whole if small-scale

i

Preheat the oven to 450F.

2

Sauté the bacon in a drizzle of oil in a heavy skillet fix over medium-high heat until cooked through; transfer to a bowl (or the insert of your slow cooker) and set bated. If you like, pour out the salary fat and add together some other drizzle of oil to the skillet.

3

Dry the beef with paper towels (information technology won't brown if it's damp) and chocolate-brown information technology in batches, browning on all sides - don't worry about cooking the meat through. Add it to the bowl of bacon.

iv

Dark-brown the onion in the skillet, and so either transfer to a baking dish or the insert of your deadening cooker; add the beef and salary and sprinkle the lot with the flour. Set the dish uncovered in the oven for 4 minutes - remove and toss the meat and put information technology back in for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a calorie-free chaff.) Remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 325F; if you're using your boring cooker, you tin turn the oven off.

five

Stir in the wine and enough stock or burgoo so that the meat is barely covered. (I like to pour some of the liquid into the pan kickoff to loosen all the succulent brown bits, then pour it back over the meat.) Add the tomato paste, garlic and thyme. If y'all're using a slow cooker, fix it on low for half-dozen-viii hours. Otherwise, cover the baking dish and set up in the lower third of your oven and bake for ii i/2 to three hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it hands.

6

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the baking dish into a sieve set over a saucepan; return the beefiness and bacon to the dish. Heat a drizzle of oil with the butter in a skillet fix over medium-loftier heat and brown the onions and mushrooms until they turn gilded. Add to the beef.

7

Skim any excess fat off the surface of the sauce and simmer for a infinitesimal or two, until slightly thickened. Yous should have about 2 ane/2 cups of sauce thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. If it'south too thin, cook it down a little longer; if it'southward also thick, add a flake of stock or h2o to thin it. Gustation and adjust the seasoning, then cascade over the meat and vegetables.

8

Serve immediately over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.

Ingredients

six slices bacon, chopped

canola or olive oil, for cooking with

3 lbs. lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes (I used within and lesser round)

ane large onion, halved and sliced

common salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 cups full-bodied red wine, such equally a Chianti

ii - 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon

ii Tbsp. tomato paste

two cloves garlic, mashed

1/two tsp. thyme

1-two Tbsp. butter

18 to 24 small white pearl onions, peeled

one lb button mushrooms, halved or quartered if large, and left whole if minor

Directions

i

Preheat the oven to 450F.

2

Sauté the bacon in a drizzle of oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-high heat until cooked through; transfer to a bowl (or the insert of your deadening cooker) and set aside. If you like, pour out the salary fatty and add together another drizzle of oil to the skillet.

3

Dry the beef with paper towels (it won't brown if it's damp) and brown it in batches, browning on all sides - don't worry about cooking the meat through. Add it to the bowl of bacon.

4

Brown the onion in the skillet, and so either transfer to a blistering dish or the insert of your wearisome cooker; add the beefiness and bacon and sprinkle the lot with the flour. Set the dish uncovered in the oven for four minutes - remove and toss the meat and put it dorsum in for four minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a low-cal crust.) Remove from the oven and turn the temperature down to 325F; if you lot're using your slow cooker, you can turn the oven off.

5

Stir in the wine and plenty stock or bouillon and then that the meat is barely covered. (I like to pour some of the liquid into the pan first to loosen all the delicious brown bits, and so pour it dorsum over the meat.) Add together the tomato paste, garlic and thyme. If you lot're using a slow cooker, set it on depression for 6-8 hours. Otherwise, cover the baking dish and set in the lower third of your oven and broil for ii 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is washed when a fork pierces it easily.

half dozen

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the blistering dish into a sieve set over a saucepan; return the beef and salary to the dish. Heat a drizzle of oil with the butter in a skillet set over medium-loftier heat and brown the onions and mushrooms until they turn golden. Add to the beef.

7

Skim whatsoever excess fatty off the surface of the sauce and simmer for a minute or two, until slightly thickened. You should have nearly two 1/ii cups of sauce thick plenty to lightly coat a spoon. If information technology'southward likewise thin, cook it down a little longer; if it's likewise thick, add a bit of stock or water to thin information technology. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then cascade over the meat and vegetables.

8

Serve immediately over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.

Boeuf Bourguignon

One Year Ago: (How advisable that I was in Montreal!) Aubergine Pizza avec Brie and Stroopwafels

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Source: https://www.dinnerwithjulie.com/2009/12/07/boeuf-bourguignon/

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