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Beef Stewed in Red Wine
This classic dish was a major staple
for the French cookery styled 'bistros' that popped up in London and New York
during the 1960s & 1970s before
These quantities are for 2 hungry people. Double, halve or whatever for however many you are cooking for.
Marinade 500g braising beef (beef chuck) 1/2 bottle red wine 1 medium onion 4 cloves garlic 2 bay leaves 12 peppercorns Fresh thyme & rosemary
Casserole The marinated meat 1 medium onion 50g smoked bacon lardons 1 Tablespoon plain flour 400ml of red wine 200ml of beef stock 2 large carrots 3 cloves garlic 8 thyme sprigs 4 springs of fresh oregano 1 bay leaf Black pepper Salt
Finishing touches Olive oil 6 small white onions or shallots 50g lardons 6 button mushrooms Fresh parsley
Preparation
NOTE: This marinating process
is OPTIONAL, but it does add extra flavours
In a large bowl, prepare a marinade of the red wine, chopped onion, garlic cloves (cracked & halved), bay leaves, crushed peppercorns, thyme and rosemary. Submerge the meat into the marinade and cover with cling film. Leave to marinate overnight.
Cooking the Casserole Remove the meat from the marinade and dry out on paper towels. Discard the marinade ingredients. In a large pot, heat some vegetable oil and brown the meat. If using marinated meat, it will turn a rich dark brown quickly. Chop one onion and the lardons and add to the meat. When the onions are softened, sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of flour and stir to cover all ingredients and cook the flour for about 2 minutes. Gradually mix in 400ml of red wine then 200ml of beef stock. Thickly cut the carrots and add into the pot. Create a 'bouquet-garni' by tying together some fresh thyme, oregano and a bay leaf. Add the 3 pressed garlic cloves and the fresh herbs into the pot along with some salt and pepper. Turn the heat down when up to the boiling point and allow to simmer very gently for 2 hours.
Finishing touches 1 hour before serving - In a frying pan, fry the peeled whole baby onions or shallots. Add in the lardons and whole washed mushrooms. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes then drop into the casserole along with some fresh parsley. Cook for another 1 hour on a low heat until the sauce is rich and thickened and the acidic taste of the red wine has almost gone. If the sauce seems too thin, then just raise the heat towards the end of the cooking, remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce down to the required consistency.
Serving Traditionally, this meal is served in
the centre of the table with potatoes or fluffy purée and a mixed green salad.
The image below shows it served with simple boiled potatoes.
Alternatives - This dish can be served with any form of potatoes, rice or pasta (such as tagliatelli). A green vegetable works well as does the traditional green salad. The image above shows it served with basmati rice and steamed broccoli.
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going out of fashion somewhat. In France however, this is a recipe as old
as any in the country; it has never gone away and can always be found on a "brasserie"
menu nearby. Although not usually the case, the best results are found for
this meal if the same burgundy (Bourgogne)
red wine is used for the cooking and for serving at the table.
and a softer texture in the meat that provides a touch of class.