Beef Stew

"When beef stew is in the oven, all's right with the world," writes Julia Child in "The French Chef Cookbook." Julia goes on to say that beef Bourguignon "is the best beef stew known to man." As fabulous as her recipe is, it is also labor-intensive, and the directions are written in Julia's thorough style. "Cover the casserole and set it in the lower third of the oven," she advises, adding that you may also cook the stew on top of the stove, in an electric skillet, or a kettle.

I continued to prepare Julia's recipe until I found another recipe in Mireille Johnston's lovely and warming cook book, "The Cuisine of the Sun." While Mirielle's recipe has many of the same ingredients as Julia's recipe, it also has chopped tomatoes, carrots, black olives, and a surprise ingredient - orange rind. Like Julia's recipe it is very labor-intensive. "Although this takes two days to prepare, it is well worth the effort," Mireille writes.

Beef Stew

The stew is refrigerated for 24 hours to blend the flavors and congeal the fat, "which will look like a sheet of wax," explains Mireille. After the fat has been removed you complete the recipe. Beef a la Nicoise should be served with fresh egg noodles, gnocchi, or plain boiled potatoes, "nothing too emphatic," Mireille says, and I think she is right.

Yesterday the wind chill was so bad it would have made a polar bear shiver. I yearned for beef stew in red wine, but did not want to spend hours in it, so I took shortcuts. Though I had less meat than the recipe called for, I didn't worry about it because I had extra vegetables. Instead of fresh mushrooms I used dry ones from the pantry. I used garlic from a jar, frozen pearl onions, and tiny prepared carrots, which saved lots of peeling and chopping. My new, healthier beef stew tasted as good as the old Boeuf Bourguingnon and here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sliced, dried mushrooms

6 slices diced bacon OR one 2.8-ounce package real bacon recipe pieces

1 1/2 pounds lean beef stew

1 teaspoon prepared garlic

1 beefsteak tomato, diced

1 cup petite carrots

1/2 pound (half package) frozen pearl onions

2 packets salt-free beef bouillon

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons diced orange rind (Make sure there is no white pith.)

2 tablespoons Splenda

1/4 teaspoon low-sodium salt

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups good quality burgundy

2 cups water

METHOD

Cut fresh bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. (Or, pour precooked real bacon pieces into slow cooker.) Drain bacon on paper towels and put in cooker. Wipe remaining grease from skillet with paper towels. Brown stew meat in skillet and transfer to cooker. Pour wine into skillet, scraping up bits from bottom of the pan, and simmer 2 minutes. Pour wine into slow cooker and add remaining ingredients. If liquid does not cover the meat add a little more water.

Simmer stew on high for one hour. Turn cooker to low setting and simmer two more hours. When meat is fork-tender thicken stew with three tablespoons of gravy flour blended with an equal amount of water. Add more thickening if needed. Serve as chunky soup with French bread, or over rice, or on wide noodles garnished with fresh parsley. Makes 6-8 servings.

The New (and Healthier) Boeuf Bourguingnon

www.harriethodgson.com
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Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 28 years. Before she became a health writer she was a food writer for the first "Rochester Magazine," in her home town of Rochester, MN. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find another review on the American Hospice Foundation Website under the "School Corner" heading.

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"If beef stew in the oven is well with the world," writes Julia Child in "The Cookbook French leader." Julia is saying that the beef bourguignon beef stew is the best of humanity. "Fabulous as her recipe, but it is also labor-intensive, and the signs are written in a style full of Julia." Cover the pan and place in lower third of oven, "he advised, adding that you can cook the stew on topHerd, in a frying pan or electric kettle.

I kept the recipe for Julia until I find another recipe book nice and warm Mireille Johnston "La Cuisine du Soleil". Although the recipe Mireille many of the ingredients as the recipe for Julia, who also tomatoes, carrots, black olives, chopped, and a surprise ingredient - the orange peel. As Julia's recipe, is very labor intensive. "Although the last two days to prepare, it's worth, Mireille writing.

The pot kept in the refrigerator for 24 hours with the flavors and holds them grease, wax look like a leaf, "says Mireille. After the fat is removed, completing the recipe. Boeuf a la Nicoise categorically nothing to be served with fresh pasta egg dumplings or boiled potatoes "simple", says Johnny, and I think he's right.

Yesterday, the cold was so bad, would make a polar bear shiver. I wanted beef> In red wine, but not spend hours, I took shortcuts. Even though I had less meat in the recipe, I'm not worried because I had more vegetables. Instead of fresh mushrooms, dried ones I Office. I used garlic preserved in a glass, onions and carrots, frozen ready small batches shelling and grinding. My new, healthy beef stew taste as good as the old Bourguingnon Beef and hereRecipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sliced dried mushrooms

6 slices bacon, diced or a recipe for 2.8 ounces real bacon pieces together

1 1 / 2 pounds lean beef stew

1 teaspoon teaspoon prepared garlic

A beefsteak tomato, diced

1 cup carrots, small

02:01 Book (package of half-frozen) onions

2 packets of beef broth without salt

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons orange peel, diced (make sure there are no white spots.)

2EL Splenda

4.1 teaspoons of low sodium salt

4.1 V. teaspoon dried thyme

4.1 V. teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1 / 2 cups good quality Burgundy

2 cups water

METHOD

Fresh Cut bacon into small pieces and fry until crispy. (Alternatively, pour the cooked bacon bits real in a saucepan.) Basketball Drain bacon on paper towels and oven. Clean with a residue of fat from the pan card. Brown stew meat in the pan and transfer to oven. Pour the wineleave in the pan, scraping the bottom of the pot, cook and 2 minutes. Pour the wine into a saucepan and add the other ingredients. If the liquid covers the meat a bit 'more water.

Simmer the stew up for an hour. Turn cooker to low and simmer for two hours. When the meat is fork tender stew thicken sauce with three tablespoons of flour mixed with an equal volume of water. Add more thickening, if necessary. Serve the soup with bread large, French orover rice or pasta garnished with fresh parsley. Makes 6-8 servings.

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