#113: A Wonderful Day in the Kitchen with a Friend

A wonderful day in the kitchen with a friend where we cook up a storm, make Nearly Candied Quince, Bouef Bourguignon, Mashed Potatoes, and an Apple Dessert that gives us a surprise!

Last week my friend Cindy and I spent an entire day creating and kibitzing in my kitchen. We’ve had days like this before but this summer both of us have been busy with guests and gardens and we decided we needed to remedy that. We set a date and a menu to look forward to.

We started by picking the quince from my tree, adding sugar, a cinnamon stick, some Licor 43 (which is a beautiful blend of citrus and vanilla) and using directions by Deborah Madison’s to make our own version of her Nearly Candied Quince. The result was delicious and we both agreed we would make our version again.

Next we started in on Beef Bourguignon from French Brasserie Cooking by Daniel Galmiche. The recipe calls for marinating the beef in red wine for atleast 3 hours but I gave it over 24 using beef stew meat from my farm share.

We made Creamed Mashed Potatoes (from the same book), a green salad, and what started as a French Tarte Tatin but ended up being more like an American Apple Pandowdy. When everything was ready, Cindy’s husband joined us and we had a lovely evening to cap off our day together in the kitchen.

What does a special day with a dear friend look like for you?

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Beef Bourguignon

from French Brasserie Cooking by Daniel Galmiche

What You Need

• 1 3/4 pounds beef brisket (we used stew meat), cut into large cubes

• 4 and 1/4 cups full-bodied red wine

• 2 thyme sprigs

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 3 tablespoons Cognac

• scant 1/2 cup sunflower oil

• 2 tablespoons AP flour (we used a GF AP flour)

• 2 and 1/2 cups stock (Daniel calls for chicken or veal but we used mushroom)

• 1 bouquet garni made with 1 parsley sprig, 1 thyme sprig, and 1 bay leaf tied together with kitchen string

• 2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into chunks

• 12 pearl onions

• 3 ounces small button mushrooms

• 2/3 cup diced pancetta

• 1 handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to Do It

1. In a deep dish, mix together the beef, wine, thyme, garlic and Cognac. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours. (I did 24 hours.)

2. Strain the meat into a bowl, using a colander, and reserve the marinade. Pat the meat dry.

3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meat and cook 20 minutes, or until brown, season lightly with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Add the stock and reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Skim the foam off the surface and add the bouquet garni, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meat is tender. By that time you should have a rich, silky sauce. (Yes, it was!)

4. About 50 minutes before the end of the cooking time, heat another medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-low heat. Add the carrots and onions and cook 10 minutes, or until soft and pale gold in color, then add the pan with the meat.

5. When the beef is almost ready, heat the remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and pancetta and fry 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, then add them to the beef. Check the seasoning adjusting the salt and pepper, if necessary throw in the parsley and stir gently without breaking the delicate pieces of beef.

6. Serve hot with creamed mashed potatoes.

Delicious!

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