Boeuf Bourgignon (Beef Burgundy)

I don't know why it has taken me so long to write about this, as it is my favorite dish. The first time I ate it was in a restaurant in Paris. That was the moment I fell in love with French food. It was also an important moment in my life as a cook. It made me want to cook, and planted the seed of the idea to cook for a living.

Boeuf Bourgignon is basically stewing beef, braised in red wine (traditionally red Burgundy, hence the name), with bacon, pearl onions and mushrooms. Especially when it is cold outside, it doesn't get much better than that.

Start with your beef. This can be any of the cheaper beef cuts typically used for stews. I usually use chuck or round. You will need 1 lb of stewing beef. Cut it into large (about 1 inch) chunks, dry by blotting with paper towels, and season generously with salt and pepper.

Next, render 1 slice of bacon, diced in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or small stockpot (it must not be non-stick, it must have a lid, and it must be large enough to accommodate the entire stew). This means cooking it on medium-low heat until it gives up its fat. Let it get a little crispy but not burned. Remove the bacon and set aside in a bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Add a splash of vegetable oil and turn up the heat. Next, add, in small batches (you must not overcrowd the pan, as it the meat will not sear) your beef chunks. Once the chunks are nicely browned on one side, flip them over and brown the second side. Be careful not to allow the oil to get too hot, as it can smoke and burn the meat. Remove the beef and set aside with the bacon. At this point, there should be brown stuff stuck to the bottom of your pan. This is flavor. Do not get rid of it!

Turn the heat down a little and add a splash more oil to your pan. Add about 12 oz mirepoix. Mirepoix is a mix of diced carrot (about 3 oz), celery (about 3 oz) and onion (about 6 oz). Add also 1 clove garlic, minced. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the onions start to soften (about 10 minutes). Add 2 tbsp flour, stirring for about 1 minute, then 1 tbsp tomato paste, stirring for another minute. Now add 1 cup red wine and 1 cup beef broth, along with 1 bay leaf and a little salt and pepper. Return the beef and bacon to the pan and bring up to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the goodness on the bottom of the pan. Put the lid on the pan. Simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the beef is fork tender.

While the stew is cooking, peel 8 oz pearl (boiling) onions, halving them if large. Place in a flat pan (a small frying or omelet pan would work) with about 1 tbsp butter, a big pinch of sugar and a small pinch of salt. Cover with water and cook on medium heat until the water is all gone - be careful not to let them burn. Transfer to the stew once done, and allow them to cook in it.

Clean 10 oz button mushrooms (remove any dirt) and cut in half, leaving stems attached. Saute in a little butter with salt and pepper, until all of their liquid is gone. Add to the stew and allow them to cook in it.

Once your beef is cooked tender, check the seasoning of your stew and adjust as necessary. Remove the bay leaf before serving (as you can see from the picture, I forgot). Serve with potatoes (mashed, boiled, however you like) and/or crusty bread to mop up the sauce, and a glass of red. Enjoy! Serves about 4 people.

Note 1 - You can use all red wine (i.e. 2 cups) if you do not want to use beef broth. I am still undecided about which way is better.

Note 2 - Stewing beef can often be found pre-chunked in wrapped packs at the supermarket. This is fine, and saves you a step.

Note 3 - Provided your pan is oven-proof, you can cook the stew in the oven instead of on the stovetop. Bring it to a simmer on the stove and then transfer it to a 300 F oven (with lid on). Cook until the beef is tender.

Note 4 - You can use pretty much any kind of red wine for this stew. I almost always use something cheap - I am not of the belief that an expensive, well-balanced wine will taste any better than something very cheap. You are cooking most of the alcohol out and infusing a lot of other great flavors into it. Any balance will be completely changed. Not to say that a great wine wouldn't taste good in the stew - I just don't see the point in the expense. Probably a smart thing to do is buy a lower-priced red that you enjoy drinking. If you use 1 cup in the stew, that will leave you about 2 cups to drink with it.

Note 5 - Metric Info: 1 lb = 450g; 12 oz = 340g; 3oz = 85g; 6oz = 170g; 1 cup = 240 ml; 8 oz = 225g; 10 oz = 280g; 300 F = 150 C.

Pasta e Fagioli

Now, this is good winter food. Warm and hearty, pasta e fagioli (pronounced 'pasta fashool'), or Italian pasta and bean soup/stew, is perfect for those cold nights that are on the way... I already made it twice in the last month. It is one of my favorite meals, and is pretty easy to make.

Which type of beans you use is up to you. Cranberry beans are ideal, but can be hard to find. I used pinto this time, but cannellini or kidney beans are good too. You can use either dried or canned beans. I like to use dried if I have them, as they tend to hold their shape better - canned beans can get a little mushy. If using dried beans, soak 1 cup in plenty of cold water overnight. The next day, boil them in salted water until tender (beginning to get soft, offering no resistance to your teeth when you bite into them), drain and set aside to cool until needed. If using canned beans, there is no prep to do the night before.

When you are ready to make the soup, start by cutting about 2 tbsp onion (about 1/4 of an average onion) into small dice. Splash a good glug of olive oil into a large heavy saucepan and saute the onion until it starts to color. Then add about 3 tbsp carrot (peeled and diced small) and 2 tbsp celery, diced small. Stir, and add a couple of slices of bacon or pancetta, cut into small dice (this is optional - I did it on one of the two occasions, but not on the time I took the picture above). Saute until the vegetables soften - about 10 minutes. Add 2/3 cup chopped canned tomatoes and juice, and simmer until cooked down. Add either your cooked dried beans or 3 cups of canned beans (you'll probably need more than one 14 oz can). Cook for a few minutes, then add 3 cups of broth (beef, chicken, vegetable or even plain old water). Bring it to a boil. Scoop out 1/2 cup of beans and either mash them or push them through a food mill back into the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning. Bring back to a boil and add 8 oz small tubular pasta (macaroni works, but I like ditalini even better). Keep boiling (stirring as you go) until the pasta is just done (a slight bite to it - don't allow it to get too soft), then switch off the heat and stir in 1 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp hard Italian cheese, grated (parmesan, romano or asiago - I like pecorino romano myself).

Allow the soup to cool a little before serving. This recipe will serve 2-4 people, depending on how hungry they are. Enjoy!

Note 1 - Recipe adapted from one in 'Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking' by Marcella Hazan.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 1 cup = 240 ml; 2/3 cup = 160 ml; 3 cups = 700 ml; 14 oz = 400 g; 1/2 cup = 120 ml; 8 oz = 225 g.