Lysiane Dufour, from Belgium, shows how to make carbonade Flamande (beer beef stew) with stoemp (leek and potato mash).
Lysiane Dufour came to Dunedin 16 years ago with her husband, the late Prof Jean Pierre Dufour, who took up a post at the University of Otago.
She grew up in Brussels in Belgium and learnt from her mother how to cook this hearty beef stew flavoured with mustard and beer.
• Carbonade flamande (Flemish beef beer stew)
For 4-6 people
2kg stewing or casserole beef, diced
5 thick slices "pain d'epices" (honeycake)
Dijon mustard
500ml beer (she uses Emerson's pilsner)
salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves
In a non-stick frying pan, brown the cubed beef in batches, stirring salt and pepper into each batch. As they are browned, place the meat in a heavy saucepan or casserole.
Slice the honeycake into thick slices and spread generously with mustard. Place the slices on the meat, and put more meat cubes on top. Add a couple of teaspoons of thyme and two or three bay leaves. Pour over the beer.
Add a little water to the hot frying pan, put back on the heat, scrape up the brownings and add them to the stew as well.
Place on a hot element and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down and allow to simmer for two hours or until the meat is tender and the sauce thick. Stir occasionally to make sure the honeycake does not stick. It should dissolve and thicken the stew. If you think the sauce is too liquid, add another piece of honeycake spread with mustard.
Serve with mashed potato, fries or stoemp and beer rather than wine.
• Stoemp (leek and potato mash)
2 large leeks
8 potatoes
salt, thyme
25g butter
Remove the tops and a couple of outer leaves from the leeks. Slice lengthwise and then across into pieces about 1cm. Place in a colander and wash twice.
Put in a large pan and add water to just cover. Add salt and thyme and bring to the boil.
Peel and cube the potatoes and add to the leeks. Simmer until the vegetables are soft enough to mash.
Drain, mash, and stir in butter.
This is good with pork chops, pork belly, bacon or sausages.
TIPS:
• Carbonade is best made the day before it is needed so the flavours can develop. It also freezes well.
• Pain d'epices (honeycake) can be found in the international section of good supermarkets. Some people like to use bread instead of honeycake.
• There are many versions of carbonade. Some use onions and vinegar, but this is the one her mother and grandmother used to make, she said.
• Stoemp is a simple, everyday dish. It can be made with whatever you have - carrots or even onions. You need about half leeks (or other vegetables) and half potatoes, but remember that leeks shrink as they cook.
• Leeks are popular in Belgium and are often eaten in soup or quiche or with white sauce as well.
