Flavours of Home is a series of recipes from around the world cooked by people at home in Otago. This week, Claudie Favre, of Switzerland, shows us how to make boeuf bourguignon.
Boeuf bourguignon (beef braised in red wine)
Serves 4-5
600g of beef shoulder or rump steak cut into 2cm cubes
Marinade -
4Tbsp of canola oil
1 Tbsp of cognac (optional)
3 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
A sprig of thyme or ¼ tsp dried
A few sage leaves or ¼ tsp dried
A small sprig of rosemary or ¼ tsp dried
A few leaves of basil or ¼ tsp dried.
For the sauce-
100g streaky bacon
A little vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
200ml shiraz wine
150ml beef stock
¼ tsp of salt
100g button mushrooms
Method:
Mix the marinade ingredients well, toss the meat cubes in it and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
Next day, cut the bacon into pieces and fry in a little oil until crisp and the fat is translucent. Drain on a paper towel. Cook the onion in the rest of the oil until soft and translucent with a little bit of brown at the edges. Drain on a paper towel.
Take the marinated beef out of the fridge. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the marinade and sear in a hot pan in small batches. Put the seared meat back into the pan and add the red wine. Let it cook until the wine is reduced by half - about five minutes.
Once the red wine is reduced, add the strained marinade, the beef stock and salt to taste. Leave to cook slowly for 45 minutes.
Cut the mushrooms in half, add to the pot and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Stir in a dollop more red wine at the end if you like.
Serve the boeuf bourguignon in a deep dish, garnished with slices of baguette (French bread stick) to mop up the juices. Accompany with polenta, mashed potatoes or gratin dauphinoise, a dish of thinly sliced and layered potatoes and cream cooked in a buttered dish rubbed with garlic. A green salad is good with it, too.
Tips:
• This dish, beef cooked slowly in red wine, takes its name from bourguignon (pinot noir from the Burgundy region of France) but Claudie likes to use shiraz, which is more readily available here and is full-bodied and has enough tannin to give a good flavour.
• As with all traditional dishes, there are many different ways to make boeuf bourguignon. The French like to add small onions but Claudie thinks their flavour is too strong.
• She does not use flour, as she likes the sauce to be quite liquid. This is braised beef, not a casserole, she says.
• Marinating the meat not only adds flavour but also tenderises it.
• The cognac is optional, but adds a wonderful touch for a special occasion.
It is a French-speaking area in the southwest of Switzerland, close to the borders of France and Italy.
She married a New Zealander and came here 15 years ago and now organises tours for French-speaking visitors to this country.
With her two sons, she sells Swiss waffles at the Otago Farmers Market in Dunedin in winter.
- Thanks to Afife Harris and Leith Distributors.
