Julia Child’s Stew of Beef, or more properly, Beef Stew Provencal.
Daube de Boeuf is a magnificent stew that can be made early on in the day. It would be better if you make it a day prior to serving, since it allows the intricate flavors to develop and mellow. You need to remember that beef and vegetables used in this recipe have to be marinated for at least 12 hours. It is highly recommended to let them marinate for 24 hours before cooking, provided that you want rich flavoring.
Generally, recipes from Provence are served with rice. Basmati rice can be an excellent choice for this dish, as it not only has smooth flavor, but also wonderful aroma. You can use your favorite rice or whatever variety is easily available as substitute.
Ingredients:
Cinnamon: one 3-inch stick
Orange zest: 2 stripes (each stripe should be 1.5-inch wide and 2.5 inch long)
Spring fresh thyme: 2
Bay leaf: 1 (dried)
Black peppercorns: 1 teaspoon
Sprigs fresh parsley: 4
Whole cloves: 3
Stalk celery: 1 (medium sized, cut into half inch slices crosswise and reserve the top leaves)
Onions: 3 (thinly sliced)
Garlic: 3 cloves (crushed and chopped)
Carrots: 3 medium-sized (peel them and cut them into half inch slices crosswise)
Beef: 3 lbs (cut into one-and-half-inch cubes)
Lean bacon slices: 8 ounces (chopped into one-inch lengths)
Red wine: 1 bottle full-bodied
Cognac: 1/4 cup
Extra virgin olive oil: 1/4 cup
All-purpose flour: 1/3 cup
Beef stock: 3/4 cup
Nicoise olives: 3/4 cup
Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
Chopped fresh parsley: 1/4 cup
Basmati rice: 1 1/2 cup
Directions:
Put the orange zest, cinnamon stick, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, celery leaves and parsley onto a layer of cheesecloth and tie it up in order to make a bouquet garni. Put it aside.
Get a big, non-reactive dish and put celery, garlic, beef, onions, carrots, bouquet garni, and bacon into it, all at once. Pour the cognac and wine over the mixture. Put the mixture in refrigerator for marinating for about 24 hours.
Preheat your oven accurately to 325 F. Get the beef out of vegetables, and put it on a kitchen towel for draining. Get a skillet and put oil into it. Heat the oil on medium heat. Put the beef into the pan along with some flour. Cook it until it turns brown. Remove the beef and deglaze the skillet with tomato paste and beef stock. Scrap all the browned bits of beef from the pan’s bottom.
Mix the pan sauce, salt, olives, beef, and vegetables-wine mixture together in an ovenproof dish. Cover it. Next, you need to braise the beef for 2 to 3 hours, until it is tender. If you want your stew to be thicker, check after 2 hours of cooking and remove the lid for the rest of the time.
Prepare the rice according to the direction given on package. Garnish your stew with cooked rice and parsley.
Serve and enjoy! Feel free to comment on this dish if you enjoyed it.
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