Boeuf A La Gordienne Provencal Braised Beef Food

BEEF PROVENCALE

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the oil to the skillet and heat just until beginning to smoke. Brown the meat all over and sear the roast, turning as each side turns a deep mahogany, about 10 minutes. While the meat browns, put the flour into a medium bowl and whisk with about 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth until smooth.
• Crush the tomatoes through your fingers into the slow cooker; stir in their juices, 3 tablespoons of the cognac, herbes de Provence, and the 2 teaspoons salt.
• Transfer the browned meat to the slow cooker. Add the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth to the skillet; let it bubble for a minute and then stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour over the meat, then scatter the garlic, carrots, fennel, and onion over and around the meat. Pour the flour mixture over. Cover the cooker, set it on HIGH, and cook for 4 hours. Set the cooker on LOW and cook until the meat is very tender, up to 2 hours more (for a total of 6 hours). Transfer the meat to a cutting board. Skim any excess fat off the top of the sauce in the cooker.
• To finish the sauce: Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon cognac, the tomato tapenade, parsley, and orange zest into the vegetables and sauce in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Slice the meat and lay the slices down the center of a serving platter. Arrange the vegetables around the meat and spoon some sauce over the top. Serve with hot buttered egg noodles. Pass the remaining sauce.

BOEUF BRAISE AU BEAUJOLAIS (BEEF BRAISED IN BEAUJOLAIS)

Steps:

• Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the meat in one layer. Add the cubed beef and cook over medium heat, stirring until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the pieces of meat to a heavy cast-iron kettle, add the onions, garlic, mushrooms and thyme. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the flour. Blend well and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine, beef or chicken stock, bay leaf, cloves and allspice. Blend well and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, over low heat for 3 1/2 hours to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

BOEUF A LA GORDIENNE (PROVENCAL BRAISED BEEF)

Steps:

• Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes. Peel the onion and stud with cloves. Tie together the thyme, sage, bay leaf, celery and orange rind to make a bouquet garni. Place the cubes of meat into a large bowl and cover with the wine and vinegar. Add the bouquet garni, garlic and onion, cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pork rind into 3/4-inch squares. Drop into boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain. Scatter 2/3 cup of the squares of the bottom of a 4-qt. enameled pot.
• Heat the oil in a nonstick 11-inch saute pan. Add the carrots and cook over high heat until lightly browned and caramelized, 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Drain the cubes of meat and pat dry. Cut the bacon into thin matchsticks. Lightly brown the meat and the bacon in the same pan used for the carrots, about 5 minutes.
• Place the meat and bacon in the pot and surround with carrots. Cover the meat with the remaining squares of pork rind and pour the marinade over. Add the bouquet garni, garlic and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot with a sheet of oiled waxed paper or parchment paper and place the lid on top. Bake for up to 5 hours, checking for doneness. (The recipe says five hours, but my dad thought this was too long, so judge as you will.).
• Remove the onion, garlic and bouquet garni from the pot. If desired, boil the cooking juices over high heat for several minutes to reduce to a syrupy consistency. Serve the meat with the carrots, bacon, pork rind and sauce.

BOEUF à LA MODE

Steps:

• A day before cooking, salt the roast very well with kosher salt, at least twice as well as you feel comfortable doing. Season with the other spices, trying to distribute them more or less evenly. Use the full teaspoon of nutmeg if you like the flavor of nutmeg, the half if you are skeptical. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring the roast to room temperature before cooking. Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a heavy casserole, brown the roast on all sides in hot olive oil over medium heat. It should take about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove roast to a plate. Deglaze the pan with the onion, carrot, celery and tomato paste, and stir well, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and the wine and cognac. Cook over high heat, boiling until reduced by half. Add the roast, pig's foot, bouquet garni, bay leaves, mushrooms and enough beef stock to cover roast about halfway up. Cook in oven, covered, 3 to 4 hours, until totally tender.
• If you are serving the following day, allow to cool overnight in its broth in the refrigerator. Then remove the fat that has settled on top, remove the roast, warm all the braising juices, the pig's foot and the vegetables, and then strain it through a fine sieve, so that only the glossy broth remains. If you are serving it the day you cook it, remove the finished roast, strain the broth and then skim the fat the best you can from its surface with a ladle.
• Taste the broth. If it tastes too acidic - as it may or may not, depending on your taste and on the wine used - add up to another cup or 2 of beef broth. The foot will have given it enough body to withstand being thinned. Do any other adjusting of seasoning you like. Remove the twine from the roast, and return it to its broth until ready to reheat and serve.
• Then reheat the boeuf in its flavorful sauce, remove to a cutting board and cut into thick slices, pouring sauce over all of them, and serving more at the table. Serves 6, heartily.
• I like this best with a big handful of gremolata, the Italian condiment, on top. It is not at all French, and not at all how this is traditionally served. But it is very delicious. To make it, combine the chopped parsley, finely chopped lemon zest and finely chopped garlic in a bowl, and add a very small pinch of coarse salt.

BOEUF à LA NIçOISE: BRAISED BEEF STEW WITH RED WINE, TOMATO, OLIVES, AND BUTTERED NOODLES

Steps:

• Toss the beef in a large bowl with the cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon thyme, the garlic, and the orange zest. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Take the meat out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. After 15 minutes, season it on all sides with 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt. Reserve the garlic and orange zest.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat for 3 minutes. Pour in 3 tablespoons olive oil and wait a minute or two, until the pan is very hot and almost smoking. Place the meat in the pan, being careful not to crowd it. (You will need to do this in batches.) Sear the meat until well browned on all sides. (This step is very important and should not be rushed; it will probably take 15 to 20 minutes.) As the batches of meat are browned, remove them to a baking sheet.
• Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, fennel, and carrot. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the crusty bits left in the pan. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and the reserved garlic and orange zest. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are caramelized.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the vegetables. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce to a glaze. Pour in the red wine and reduce it by half (about 5 minutes). Add the beef stock and bring to a boil.
• Add the meat to the pot. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one. Braise in the oven about 3 hours.
• While the meat is in the oven, cut the whole tomatoes in half lengthwise. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a baking dish in which the tomatoes will fit snugly. Place the tomatoes in the dish, cut side up, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Roast the tomatoes in the same oven for 1 1/2 hours, until they are shriveled and slightly caramelized on top.
• To check the meat for doneness, carefully remove the lid and foil, being aware of the hot steam. Spoon a piece of meat out of the pan and press it with your thumb or a spoon. If it's done, it will yield easily and almost fall apart. If it's not super-tender, cover again and return the pot to the oven. When in doubt, taste it!
• Take the pan out of the oven and uncover completely. Using a ladle, skim off the fat that rises to the top.
• Turn the oven up to 400°F.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
• Ladle half the braising juices into a large sauté pan and add the olives. Return the meat to the oven for 15 minutes to caramelize.
• When the water boils, cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Transfer the noodles to the pan with the braising juices and olives. Over medium-low heat, toss the noodles in the juices to coat well and bring to a low simmer. Stir in the butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Quickly add the spinach and a cup chopped parsley, and toss for just 1 minute, until the spinach begins to wilt.
• Transfer the pasta to a large warm platter. Spoon the meat and its juices over the noodles. Tuck the roasted tomatoes in and around the noodles and meat. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley over the top.

DAUBE DE BOEUF A LA PROVENCALE

Steps:

• Mix olive oil through onions and marinate steak in refrigerator at least 6 hours, basting and turning meat several times.
• Scrape marinade off meat and reserve.
• Season meat lightly with salt and pepper; roll in flour and set aside on waxed paper.
• In a bowl toss marinade with tomatoes and mushrooms.
• Place 1/3 of mixed vegetables in bottom of 6 quart flame-proof casserole.
• Alternate layers of meat and vegetables, ending with vegetables.
• Pour in any left-over marinade.
• Cover, set over moderate heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• If vegetables have not rendered enough liquid to almost cover meat, add a little bouillon.
• Cover and simmer 1½-2 hours until meat is tender when pierced.
• Tip casserole, trim out fat and taste for seasoning.
• If liquid has not reduced and thickened, drain out into a saucepan and thicken with 1 Tbs cornstarch mixed with bouillon, boil 2 minutes, then pour into casserole.
• Chop or purée garlic and mash with capers.
• Beat in mustard.
• Gradually beat in olive oil to make a thick sauce.
• Stir in basil or parsley just before serving.