Sunday, September 20, 2009

Boeuf Bourguignon a la Julia Child

At some point in our lives, I think we've all had some Betty Crocker-esque version of Boeuf Bourguignon, or Beef Stew in Red Wine. A little onion powder, maybe some canned mushrooms - you get the idea. However, unless your mother got a lightning bolt of slightly crazed cooking inspiration in the 1960s, you've probably never tasted authentic Boeuf Bourguignon. This is the real deal - a 3 page recipe by the late Julia Child herself.

Ever since thumbing through my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1, I've wanted to try this recipe. With all the lengthy preparations and hours of labor, I've been more than a little hesitant to attempt this stew. After recently seeing the movie, Julie and Julia, and reading a bit of My Life in France, now seemed like as good a time as any to roll up my sleeves and make "the dish". I am very happy to say that I was not disappointed in the least.

The 3 cups of red wine in this recipe work their magic on the initially tough pieces of stewing meat, creating meltingly tender chunks of savory, rich beef. The aromatic vegetables and bits of bacon bring complexity to this stew, which practically begs to be paired with a big red wine. The sprinkling of fresh parsley brightens the entire dish and somehow makes it feel both traditional and extremely modern at the same time. This recipe really illustrates why some dishes are truly classics.

If you decide to attempt this dish, I would recommend preparing it on a day when you have plenty of time to spare and when you won't be bothered with any distractions. Naturally, pour yourself a generous glass of red wine while you are cooking so the stress level never rises to an intolerable level.

After making the dish for family, I have decided that it would actually be great for entertaining, as the stew can rest on the stove for quite a while before your guests arrive. Sprinkle the stew with chopped Italian parsley right before serving, and let everyone help themselves right from the pot.

Here is the link to the recipe:

http://knopfdoubleday.com/marketing/cooking/BoeufBourguignon.pdf

Enjoy!

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