Anthony Bourdain's Beef / Boeuf Bourguignon

This is the third recipe I have adapted from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook. The first recipe was his popular Poulet Roti (French Style Roast Chicken), followed by the Whole Roasted Fish Basquaise (will post the recipe soon). I made his Beef Bourguignon last weekend.

I have to say his beef bourguignon does not contain any fancy factor. This recipe uses the basic ingredients beef, onion, carrot, red wine and bouquet garni and turned them into a fabulous French beef bourguignon. This is exactly how I like a classic to be.

Anthony Bourdain - "Traditionally, this dish is cooked entirely with red wine. And that's fine, just fine. But if you listened to me earlier, and keep a stash of good, strong demi-glace * (see note) kicking around in your freezer, a couple of spoonfuls give the sauce a nice flavour boost. This is one of the easier dishes in this book, and also one of the best."

* Demi-Glace: Once referred to a mix of reduced veal stock and sauce espanole (an old-school brown sauce). Now it implies a dark, thick, greatly reduced veal or even chicken stock.

And no, I didn't listen to him nor did I use the demi-glace but it still tastes superb.

One a side note, in case you're curious why I named my blog Almost Bourdain, it's taken from:

My favourite Book - Almost French by Sarah Turnbull and
My favourite TV Show Personality: Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain's Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe
(Adapted from Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook)

Ingredients

2 lbs (900 g) paleron of beef, or "chicken steak" (* see note), or same amount of should or neck, cut into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm pieces)
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup (56 ml) olive oil
4 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsps (28 g) all purpose flour
1 cup (225 ml) red Burgundy
6 carrots, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
1 garlic clove
1 bouquet garni (* see note)
A little chopped flat parsley

* Paleron: A noble, flavorful, and relatively tender cut from the shoulder of beef or veal, inexplicably called the "chicken steak" by American meat-cutters.

* Bouquet Garni: 1 sprig of flat parsley, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf, tied together with string and used for flavouring (usually stews or sauces). Tying the bundle in cheesecloth makes it easier to retrieve from the pot.

Method

1. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
2. In the Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the meat, in batches - NOT ALL AT ONCE! - and sear on all sides until it is well browned (not gray). You dump too much meat in the pot at the same time and you'll overcrowd it; cool the thing down and you won't get good color. Sear the meat a little at a time, removing it and setting it aside as it finishes.
3. When all the meat is a nice, dark brown color and has been set aside, add the onions to the pot. Lower the heat to medium high until the onions are soft and golden brown (about 10 minutes).
4. Sprinkle the flour over them. Continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red wine. Naturally, you want to scrape up all that really good fond from the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a boil.
5. Return the meat to the pot and add the carrots, garlic, and bouquet garni. Add just enough water ( and two big spoons of demi-glace, if you have it) so that the liquid covers the meat by one third - meaning you want a ratio of 3 parts liquid to 2 parts meat. This is a stew, so you want plenty of liquid, even after it cooks down and reduces. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and let cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender (break-apart-with-a-fork tender).
6. You should pay attention to the dish, meaning to check it every 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to make sure the meat is not sticking or, God forbid, scorching. You should also skim off any foam or scum or oil collecting on the surface, using a large spoon or ladle. When done, remove and discard the bouquet garni, add the chopped parsley to the pot, and serve.