Boeuf Bourguignonne Gusteau Food

FILLET OF BEEF BOURGUIGNONNE

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, cut the fillet crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Salt and pepper the fillets on both sides. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat, saute the slices of beef in batches with 2 to 3 tablespoons oil until browned on the outside and very rare inside, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the fillets from the pan and set aside on a platter.
• In the same pan, saute the bacon on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Drain all the fat, except 2 tablespoons, from the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return it to the pan. Add the onions and carrots and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and the vegetables are cooked.
• With a fork mash 2 tablespoons butter and the flour into a paste and whisk it gently into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken.
• Meanwhile, saute the mushrooms separately in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for about 10 minutes, until browned and tender.
• Add the fillet of beef slices, the mushrooms, and the bacon to the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Cover and reheat gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not over cook. Season, to taste, and serve immediately.

BEEF BOURGUIGNONNE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat a 6-to-8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the bacon and cook until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large plate, leaving the drippings in the pot.
• Pat the beef dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the pot in a single layer (do this in batches); sear for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown all over. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the plate with the bacon.
• Add the carrots and onions to the pot and cook until softened and slightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, make a "bouquet garni": Tie the thyme, bay leaf, garlic, parsley and celery together with twine (nestle the garlic in the celery stalk).
• Return the bacon and beef to the pot. Add the flour and stir for a few minutes until the meat is coated. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the brandy and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine; cook until reduced by half again, about 10 more minutes. Add the stock and bouquet garni; bring to a low boil. Stir gently, then cover and transfer to the oven; cook until the meat is tender and cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pearl onions and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and 1/4 cup water; cook until the water evaporates and the onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook until slightly softened and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set the skillet aside.
• Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon. Let the sauce sit for a few minutes, then skim off the fat and discard. Return the meat to the pot. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms; heat through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. (For better flavor, make the dish a day ahead.)

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
• Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
• Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices. Add the bottle of wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.
• Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
• To serve, toast the bread in the toaster or oven. Rub each slice on 1 side with a cut clove of garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.

FONDUE BOURGUIGNONNE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a fondue pot or 2-quart saucepan until very hot (375 degrees). While oil is heating, cut beef and chicken, toss with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Combine pork with garlic, shallots, egg yolk and mustard and form into tiny meat balls. Decoratively arrange meats, meatballs and potatoes on a large platter, or on 4 individual plates. Arrange sauces in individual dipping bowls or plates. Place fondue pot of oil in center of table over a small candle or sterno, and adjust flame so that it bubbles but does not sputter when meat is added. Spear meat, meatball or potato on long forks, place in pot and cook 20 to 30 seconds until crispy. Remove meat from fork before eating -- fork will be burning hot. You can use wooden skewers instead of long forks for cooking, if you wish.

BEEF BOURGUIGNONNE POTPIE

Steps:

• Place the bay leaves and thyme on a small piece of cheesecloth and tie the corners together tightly to form a bundle; set aside.
• Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Working in batches, add the beef to the pot and cook, turning, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and add the bacon to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add the cognac to the pot and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the wine, chicken broth, cheesecloth bundle, browned meat and any juices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer, stirring and scraping up the bottom of the pot occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce is thick, about 2 hours. Discard the cheesecloth bundle.
• Meanwhile, make the crust: Combine the flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the parsley and chives and pulse to combine, then add the butter and pulse 8 to 10 times until it looks like coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup ice water and pulse until the dough just starts coming together, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more ice water if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Finish the stew: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add to the pot with the stew along with the pearl onions and butter; stir. Transfer the mixture to a 3-to-4-quart oval or 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside to cool.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 12-by-15-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush the edges and outside of the baking dish with the egg wash. Drape the dough over the filling and press it against the sides of the dish; trim any excess to leave a 1-inch overhang. Cut a few slits in the top to vent.
• Brush the crust with more of the egg wash. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Combine the meat and the red wine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, remove the meat from the red wine and pat dry. Reserve wine. Toss meat in the flour, shaking off any excess. In a large casserole over high heat, add the bacon and render. Add the butter to the bacon fat and melt. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Remove the meat as it browns to a plate. Add the carrots, onions, and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beef back to the pot with the reserved wine, veal stock, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Cover and cook for 2 hours over a low heat, until the meat is very tender. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 15 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve with boiled potatoes.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• Tip 1.6kg braising steak, cut into large chunks, into a large bowl with 3 bay leaves, a small bunch of thyme, 2 bottles cheap red wine and some pepper, then cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Place a colander over another large bowl and strain the marinated meat, keeping the wine.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, then brown the meat in batches, transferring to a plate once browned. When all the meat is browned, pour a little wine into the now-empty frying pan and bubble to release any caramelised bits from the pan.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large casserole and fry 3 large or 6 normal carrots, cut into large chunks, and 2 roughly chopped onions until they start to colour. Stir in 3 tbsp plain flour for 1 min, then add 1 tbsp tomato purée.
• Add the beef and any juices, the wine from the frying pan and the rest of the wine and herbs. Season and bring to a simmer. Give everything a good stir, then cover.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 2 hrs until the meat is really tender. Cool. Will freeze for up to 3 months.
• To serve, defrost completely overnight in the fridge if frozen, then place on a low heat to warm through.
• Meanwhile, heat a small knob of butter in a frying pan and add 300g bacon lardons and 500g peeled pearl onions or small shallots. Sizzle for about 10 mins until the bacon starts to crisp and the onions soften and colour.
• Add 400g halved mushrooms and fry for another 5 mins, then stir everything into the stew and heat for 10 mins more. Serve scattered with chopped parsley.

NEXT LEVEL BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Steps:

• A day or two ahead, cut the meat into large 5cm chunks. Put in a glass bowl with the garlic, star anise, thyme, bay and plenty of seasoning. Mix everything together well.
• Pour the wine into a large saucepan (keep the lid to hand and turn off any extractor fans). Bring to a boil, then, at arms-length, ignite with a long match. Wait for the flames to burn off (there will be quite a few), then boil for 5 mins more. If you don't feel comfortable setting the flames alight, just boil the wine. Pour the wine over the meat, then cover and cool slightly before chilling overnight or for up to 36 hrs.
• Lift the beef out of the marinade and dry on kitchen paper. Heat half the oil in a large casserole. Working in batches, brown the beef for 10 mins, adding more oil if needed (watch out - this will splutter). Once browned, transfer the beef chunks to a plate.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 3. Add a touch more oil to the dish, then tip in the veg and gently brown for 10 mins. Use a wooden spatula to scrape any sticky bits off the bottom. Scatter over the flour and cook for 2 mins, then stir in the tomato purée. Add the meat and any juices from the plate back in, then pour over the marinade with all the aromatics. Bring everything to a simmer and give it a good stir, then cover and place in the oven for 3½-4 hrs, stirring every hour or so until the meat is very tender. You now have a delicious rustic stew that can be served as is, but keep going to take it to the next level.
• Leave the stew to cool, then carefully tip into a sieve or colander set over a bowl. Lift the meat and carrots back into the casserole, then squish everything else in the sieve so that you extract the juices and some of the garlic gets squished through. Simmer this sauce in a pan for 10 mins or until thickened to your liking, then pour over the meat.
• While the meat is braising, heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan. Fry the bacon and onions for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp and the onions have softened and browned. Turn the heat up, add the mushrooms and fry until cooked. Tip the contents of the frying pan into the casserole, stir and simmer for a few mins. Scatter over the parsley, then bring the dish to the table and serve with the carb of your choice.