Boeuf Bourguignon #SundaySupper #CookForJulia

Although summer is getting closer and closer to an end, the heat continues to rise and rise! Last weekend I made a fabulous Frozen Strawberry Yogurt Pie, which involved absolutely no cooking whatsoever...a perfect way to beat the heat. Yesterday I spent an entire afternoon with the stove on for 3 hours making Boeuf Bourguignon...somewhat of a contradiction wouldn't you say? But, it was well worth it, because not only was this dish amazingly delicious, in fact it was the best thing I've ever eaten, but more importantly I made it for a special #SundaySupper, to honor and celebrate a cooking legend, Julia Child. August 15th, 2012 would mark Julia's 100th birthday, and since this is such a special occasion, I decided to make a special dish of Boeuf Bourguignon.

 Let me tell you, this dish will make your kitchen smell absolutely amazing! We're talking get your man to propose or convince your hubby it's time for a baby kind of dish...it's just that good. As said best by Julia, it is "one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man."

Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients:

6 strips of bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pounds beef stewing meet, such as Chuck Roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 sliced carrot
1 sliced onion
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups of a full-bodied red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 cup diced tomatoes
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 crumbled bay leaf

Brown-Braised Onions (see recipe below)
Mushrooms sauteed in butter (see recipe below)

Directions:

Fill a large pot with 2 quarts of water. Add the bacon strips to the put and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a large Dutch oven, saute the bacon in the olive oil over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, until slightly browned. Remove the bacon to a side dish. Reheat the Dutch oven until fat is almost smoking before you saute the beef.

Dry the beef very well in paper towels (this is to ensure that it will brown). Season the beef with salt and pepper. Saute a few pieces at a time in the bacon fat until browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the pan and add it to the bacon on a side dish.

In the same fat, brown the carrots and onions. Season with a little salt and pepper. Once the vegetables are browned, returned the beef and bacon to the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and toss to coat. Set the Dutch oven, uncovered in the middle position of the oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to the oven for another 4 minutes. This is what helps the meat to get a nice brown crust. Remove the Dutch oven and place on the stove. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in the wine and add enough beef stock so that the meat is almost covered. Add the tomatoes, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and bacon. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Cover the Dutch oven and place in the lower third of the oven. Continue to check that the heat is just at a low simmer for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when tender enough to break with a fork.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Brown-Braised Onions
18-24 peeled white onions
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup beef stock
2 large thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf

Place butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter and oil is bubbling, add the onions and saute about 10 minutes, rolling over the onions so that they will brown. Be careful not to break their skins.

Pour in the beef stock, season to taste, and add the thyme and bay leaf. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herbs. Set aside until the beef is finished cooking.


Mushrooms Sauteed in Butter

1/2 pound Crimini mushrooms, washed, well dried, and sliced.
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. When the butter and oil is bubbling, add the mushrooms and thyme. *Here is the most important tip-I learned that I have been sauteing mushrooms all wrong!* Toss and shake the pan for 4-5 minutes. While the mushrooms are sauteing, they will first absorb all of the fat, making the pan dry. In 2-3 minutes the fat will reappear on the surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they are browned lightly, remove the heat. Set aside until the beef is finished cooking.

Directions Continued:

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the Dutch oven into a sieve set over a saucepan. Return the beef, bacon, and vegetables to the Dutch oven. Cover the contents of the Dutch oven with the brown-braised onions and mushrooms sauteed in butter.

Skim fat off the liquids in the saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute of two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of beef stock. Season the sauce to taste. Pour the sauce into the Dutch oven, over the meat and vegetables.

Cover the Dutch oven on the stove and simmer for 2-3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve the Boeuf Bourguignon on a platter with boiled potatoes or crusty bread on the side, and of course enjoy a glass of wine after all your hard work!

And if you're thinking this Boeuf Bourguinon sounds like a whole lot of trouble, I will leave you with a few words of wisdom from Julia herself, "...nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should."

My #SundaySupper friends have whipped up some marvelous recipes to celebrate Julia Child so please be sure to stop by and see what they've made!


#CookForJulia Breakfast

Râpée Morvandelle by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings 
Croissants by Cookistry 
Cheese and Bacon Quiche by Tora’s Real Food

#CookForJulia Lunch

Tuna Salad Nicoise by Magnolia Days 
Blood Orange, Walnut, and Rocket Salad by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking 
Croque Monsieur by Webicurean
Spinach and Cream Cheese Pancakes by Happy Baking Days 
Julia’s Chicken Salad by My Trials in the Kitchen 
Pissaladière Niçoise (Onion Tart with Anchovies and Black Olives) by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Provencal Tomato Quiche by Are you hungry?
Quiche Lorraine  Spoon and Saucer 
Potato and Onion Soup (Potage Parmentier) by Shockingly Delicious

#CookForJulia Dinner

Bouillabaisse by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen 
Boeuf Bourguignon by Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
Orecchiette Con Broccoli Di Rape and Sausages by Doggie at the Dinner Table 
Boeuf Bourguignon by Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
Veal Stew with Onions and Mushrooms with Baked Cucumbers and Boiled Potatoes (Blanquette de veau a l’ancienne with concombres au buerre) by Kimchi Mom
Salmon en Papillote by Girlichef
Poached salmon with cucumber sauce by Katherine Martinelli

Lobster Souffle and Deviled Chicken- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends 
Roasted Chicken with Julia’s Mustard Marinade by The Meltaways
Wild Mushroom and Herb Stuffed Chicken- Mama Mommy Mom
Puree of White Beans with Garlic and Herbs (Brandade á la Soissonaise) Avocado Pesto
Poulet au Porto by Family Foodie 

#CookForJulia Sides

Hollondaise over Blanched Asparagus by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Scalloped Potatoes with Milk, Cheese, and Garlic (Gratin Dauphinois) by Home Cooking Memories 
Ratatouille by Basic N Delicious 
French-style country pate by There and Back Again
White Bean Dip with Homemade Tortilla Chips Momma’s Meals
Oeufs à la Diable by What Smells So Good?
Soubise by The Weekend Gourmet
Ratatouille by Cupcakes and Kale Chips

#CookForJulia Desserts

Cream Cheese and Lemon Flan by Juanita’s Cocina
Strawberry Sherbert in Cooky Cups by Cravings of a Lunatic
Creme Brulee by Wine Everyday
Mousseline Au Chocolat by Small Wallet Big Appetite
Peach Tarte Tatin by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Cinnamon Toast Flan by Vintage Kitchen Notes
Dark Chocolate Crepes by Family Spice
Crepes Fines Sucrees by Mangoes and Chutney
Pommes Rosemarie:Apples Rosie  The Daily Dish Recipes
Espresso Soufflé by Chocolate Moosey
Best Ever Brownies by In the Kitchen with Audrey
Orange-Almond Jelly Roll Cake by Mrs. Mama Hen
Orange Spongecake Cupcakes by Mama’s Blissful Bites
Orange Mousse with Greek Yogurt by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
Frozen Chocolate Mousse by Big Bear’s Wife

Wine Pairings: Relishing Food and Wine; Thanks to Julia Child! by ENOFYLZ