Cold Weather Comfort

One of the most warming and comforting dishes during the cold winter months has to be Boeuf Bourguignon. This French classic stew is elegant, yet easy, and made with beef and vegetables in a sauce made from red wine and beef stock. There are many different recipes and techniques, but my recipe is a hybrid of several different methods and it is by far my favorite method.

I began the night before by combining four pounds of beef chuck which I cut into one-inch cubes with five cloves of garlic, three bay leaves, two carrots (unpeeled and cut into large chunks), two celery stalks (cut into large chunks), one large white onion (peeled and cut into quarters), and one 750ml bottle of red wine (such as merlot or cabernet). I covered and refrigerated overnight.

Fast forward to the next night. I removed the meat from the marinade, dried it, seasoned with salt and pepper, reserved the marinade, and discarded the vegetables and bay leaves. I diced one pound of bacon and cooked over medium heat until the fat had rendered and the bacon was crisp. I removed the bacon to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside. I then seared the beef in batches in the bacon fat for several minutes per side, until browned. I removed the meat to the bowl with the bacon and set aside.

To the remaining fat in the pot, I added two thinly sliced onions and three carrots that I sliced into 1-inch chunks. I added salt and pepper and cooked for fifteen minutes, until the vegetables had softened. I added four cloves of minced garlic and cooked for another minute.

Off the heat, I added one half cup cognac and CAREFULLY ignited to burn off the alcohol. I returned the pot to the heat and added back the meat and bacon.

I added the wine from the marinade and enough beef stock to almost cover the meat, and then added one tablespoon tomato paste and one teaspoon of fresh thyme. I brought it to a boil, covered, and placed the pot in a 250 degree oven (low and slow) for 75 minutes, until the meat was fall-apart tender. Towards the end of the oven cooking time, I combined two tablespoons softened butter with three tablespoons flour and set aside. I also sautéed one pound of sliced mushrooms in butter until soft. I removed the pot from the oven and placed it back on the stove over medium heat, adding the flour mixture which acted as a thickener. I then added the mushrooms and one pound of frozen pearl onions. I brought it back to a boil, lowered to a simmer, and cooked for fifteen minutes. I checked for seasoning and it was done.

Some people serve over mashed potatoes, some just eat it out of a bowl, but I opted to serve it over a thick slice of toasted country bread that I rubbed with half of a garlic clove. Some fresh parsley to garnish was the final touch. This dish will warm you from the inside out!

Not that the Boeuf Bourguignon needed any side dishes, but I decided to make two. First up, Asparagus Alfredo Bundles. I made a quick sauce by melting one tablespoon of butter with one minced garlic clove and a pinch of grated nutmeg. I added 3/4 cup heavy cream and brought to a simmer. To thicken the sauce, I used a cornstarch slurry (one tablespoon cornstarch and one tablespoon water combined) and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

While the sauce was finishing, I cut two thawed puff pastry sheets into nine squares each on parchment lined baking sheets. I brushed the edges with egg wash, placed a tablespoon of Alfredo sauce in the center, added several asparagus diagonally on top of the sauce, topped with a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella cheese, and then folded the left and right corners, pressing to seal and brushing with more egg wash. I seasoned with salt and pepper, and baked at 400 degrees for thirty minutes, until golden.

My second side dish was Herb Roasted Cheesy Fingerling Potatoes. I steamed one bag of fingerling potatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes less than the package directions, removed the potatoes, sliced them in half, and placed them cut side down in a cast iron skillet along with two tablespoons of olive oil. I roasted at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, until golden and crispy.

While the potatoes cooked, I prepared the herb mixture which consisted of two tablespoons each of fresh chopped basil and parsley, two cloves of grated garlic, a chopped scallion, the zest plus a good squeeze of the juice of a lemon, and a teaspoon of salt. I scattered the herb mixture over the potatoes.

The final ingredient was two cups of grated gruyere that I melted in a non-stick skillet with a drizzle of oil and once melted, I poured all over the potatoes.

Before this amazing dinner even started, I prepared an amazing French Onion Fondue to accompany cocktails. I started by cooking one half pound of diced. Once crisp, I removed to a bowl and sautéed three sliced onions in the bacon drippings until soft and translucent, about five minutes. I added one half teaspoon sugar, two teaspoons salt, and lowered the heat. I continued to cook, stirring often for around 45 minutes, until the onions were deep golden brown. I added a small amount of water every time the onions appeared to be burning or drying. Right before the onions were finished, I added two tablespoons of sherry plus one teaspoon fresh thyme leaves and cooked for 1 minute before turning off the heat.

I combined the cooked bacon with one cup sour cream, one cup mayonnaise, two cups shredded gruyere, salt and pepper. I then added the onions and transferred the whole mixture to a 9/13 baking dish and sprinkled with a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.

I baked at 400 degrees until bubbly, allowed to rest for 10 minutes, and served with sliced baguette and crackers.

With the cold weather we have been experiencing in Maryland this week, any of these recipes would be perfect. As always, if you try them, let me know how they turn out!