As another Lame Cherry exclusive in matter anti matter.
I like Julia Childs. She was ok even if she knew a lot of commies that McCarthy blew out of Government. She was a nice mad cow, but she was dated from a time when people were honest, except her commie associates.
And to think if her husband had actually been a homosexual now, he would be the celebrated moisture off the Obama Clinton genitals.
The following is
Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon
The problem is the recipe is dated. Julia had great insights to life of beef and the turning of beast into cuisine. It is when she says you must "dry" the meat or it will not brown, that is 1961 AD in the year of our Lord, meat. Today the meat from your conglomerates takes an ocean voyage from Brazil, is pumped full of an ocean of water......like your chicken, like your pork, as water is cheaper to create than meat, so when you try and saute, broil, fry, grill, bake, boil........it shrinks to this 1/4 size thing which disappears like a magic act, so there is not any way of drying meat that has a second job as a sponge.
I am a rather rugged individual about my pots. I am not into this democratic pots and pans with wiping them out. I prefer caramelizing onions and then putting them on vacation, rendering my bacon fat, for then browning my beef, and then tenderizing the le boeff for hours, and then bringing the onions back home for the last half hour to heat through, as sugars leech out if one steams them.
Oh and that wine thing is so bourgeoisie. Cheap whiskey, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar will get you there and back.
Le Cherise Cuisine.........
Ingredients
Cooking Directions
Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Saute lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and saute until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.
In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.
Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).
Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.
Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.
Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.
Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.
Add onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.
Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.
Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.
Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.
Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.
When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.
Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.
Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, 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 too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.
Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.
Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.
agtG
