Normally, for the last several years, I’ve spent a lot of time by myself. Not alone necessarily, if that’s how you describe sitting at a desk or standing behind a counter, but decidedly by myself. It is comforting if not unnerving at times, once I’ve spent hours or days inside my own head. I’ve cycled through hobbies, as many do, with so much time to themselves, to avoid curling in a blanket cocoon for days on end mindlessly watching NCIS reruns (I’ve seen them all anyway). It seems dull in a way, to those with better plans, but I rather enjoy the time. This is the life we’ve chosen for ourselves, at any rate.
I figure in the best ways, the aloneness has taught me a deep and passionate love of food where none had existed before. Cooking is an artform - creating something from bits and pieces of other things, imagining something and bringing it to life, picking just the right flavors - it’s personal. Yoga for days doesn’t even come close to the catharsis of creating something “just right”. And yet, in my new house, in my new kitchen, something is off. My motivation is waning. Things don’t taste the same - although that’s probably only in my head. Previously, I would draw on the chaos and disorder that was my kitchen - the claustrophobic mess was a source of inspiration. Now, my perfectly white, incredibly functional space is vapid in comparison.
I have a beautiful, pristine copy of The Art of French Cooking by Julia Childs that my mom gave to me this summer (Thanks Mom!). It’s something I’ve always wanted and intend to use and learn from - but I’ve barely opened it but to peruse the heavy pages and glance over the foreign-sounding, French titles. It is currently getting a lot of use as a shelf decoration.
And yet here we are at one of the most deliciously deep and wonderful meals I’ve ever created: Beef Bourguignon. It’s not quite the traditional Julia Child’s recipe but it is immensely satisfying:
Beef Bourguignon
(i.e. fancy beef stew)
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2-3 strips bacon (optional)
2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed 1-½ inches
Salt and Pepper
1 whole white/yellow onion diced
1 lb carrots, cut into 1/2” pieces
2 ½ c. dry red wine (I used Burgundy)
1 can beef broth, low sodium (you can always add more salt) (16 oz)
2 TBS butter, softened
⅓ c. flour
¾ tsp dried thyme
1 bag frozen pearl onions
10 oz button or small portabella mushroom, halved or quartered
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- Heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat on the stovetop in a dutch oven *. Add 2-3 bacon strips, sliced into small bits. Brown bacon until crispy and remove to a plate. ( I did not use bacon because supposedly we are on a “diet”).
*If you don’t have a dutch oven - do not fret! You can use a pot in combination with casserole dish. Alternatively, you can do it entirely on the stovetop (not recommended by me - but what do I know?).
- Brown stew meat in single-layer batches in the bacon grease. Salt and pepper to season. Turn to brown on all sides. Remove to the plate with the bacon.
(Introducing - Action shots! I was so excited I made Ethan do different poses) - In remaining grease, add onions and carrots. Saute 5 minutes or until onions look transluscent. Do not be concerned about the carrots, they will get plenty of time to soften in the oven.
- Add wine, broth, and meat back into dutch oven. You should just about cover the meat with liquid. Add thyme. **At this point if you are prone to over-season, use some restraint, at least until it comes out of the oven. Place covered, in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes - until carrots and meat are tender.
- Approximately 10 minutes before removing dutch oven from the oven, saute mushrooms over medium heat until browned. Set aside. Remove Dutch oven from the oven (carefully!)
- Remove from oven to stovetop. Add butter mixed with flour to hot stew and stir until combined. Add mushrooms and pearl onions.
- Bring to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with bread or over potatoes, rice, or pasta. Enjoy!
