Beef Bourguignon

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

     Beef Bourguignon or Beef Burgundy is a famous well known French dish touted as traditional French cuisine, however only newer to the style of cooking since the beginning of the 20th century. Either way, this dish is now well known in France and is such an easy meal to prepare with so much flavor you will definitely want to give it a try. Beef Bourguignon.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 diced white onion
• 1 small stalk celery diced
• 4 strips bacon
• 1 lb stew beef
• 1 cup whole baby carrots
• 1 tbs flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1-2 cups red wine (Bordeaux)
• Salt/pepper

1. In a Dutch oven or stock pot sauté onion, celery, and bacon over medium heat until bacon starts to crisp.

2. Increase heat to high and toss in beef and sauté until starting to brown.

3. Mix in carrots, flour, bay, thyme, garlic, tomato paste and red wine. Bring to a low simmer. Cover and cook for roughly 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.

     This stew was delicious and so easy to make. Add your favorite French bread to dip in and you are set for the night. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 1/2- 2 hours

Serves: 4+

Chicken Mushroom Vol Au Vent

 

 

    Vol Au Vent means "windblown" in French and is typically served as an appetizer in French cuisine. It is also found in Belgium and can be served as an entrée and is usually filled with chicken or other meat products. I came across this dish playing around online one evening and decided to try my hand at it. It was extremely quick, simple, and very delicious. Also the presentation made this such an elegant looking dish that you would swear I went to culinary school. Give it a try for your next dinner party and impress your friends or loved ones. Chicken Mushroom Vol Au Vent.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 small shallot
• 2 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• Olive oil
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tbs flour
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Handful chopped parsley
• 1 tsp dried dill
• 3 sheets puff pastry
• Egg wash

 

1. I bought pre-made puff pastry that comes in 3 sheets. Cut each on in half and score out of one side a square hole. Take some egg wash and line the bottom one and place the holed out one on top. With a fork poke holes in the bottom layer. Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes until puffed and brown.

 

 

2. Meanwhile in a large skillet drizzle some olive oil. Cut chicken into strips and saute until golden brown.


3. Toss in diced up shallot and mushrooms.


4. Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan.


5. Toss in the tablespoon of butter and flour and stir to incorporate.


6. Pour in the cream. Stir in the parsley and dill and bring to a slow simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes.


7. Now for the fun part, take one of the pastry "baskets" and fill with the chicken/mushroom filling and serve.

 

This dish was delicious and very elegant in its presentation.

 

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 combined
Serves: 3

 

 

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

 

 

     What is ratatouille? Have you seen that cartoon movie with the little rat? Well, they end up making this famous traditional French stewed vegetable side dish. Beautifully presented as layers and packed full of flavor, this dish is so easy and delicious that you will make it as much as possible. Especially if you have a garden full of fresh vegetables, this dish is easy to make and will feed a lot of your family. I was surprised how quick and easy this dish was. I was also surprised it turned out so pretty too. Ratatouille.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 small zucchini
• 2 small yellow squash
• 2 orange bell peppers
• 1 small eggplant
• 2-3 small tomatoes
• 1/2 12 oz can tomato sauce
• Garlic
• Onion powder
• Olive oil
• Herb de Provence
• Goat cheese

 

1.       Slice all vegetables into ½ inch thick slices. Slice pepper into ½ slice rings. You can even cut them in half if they do not fit the same size.

2.       Take half can of tomato sauce and pour into 9x13 pan.

3.       Sprinkle some garlic and onion powder

4.       Begin layering each vegetable in a sequence until all has been used up or no more room. (See picture)

5.       Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle some Herb de Provence.

6.       Cover with parchment paper or tinfoil.

 

7.       Bake covered for 45 minutes in 375 degree oven.

8.       Sprinkle with some fresh goat cheese and serve.

     That is it! Simple delicious and full of flavor. A simple French dish that anyone can make and will not be intimidating to do.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4+

 

 

Chicken Fricassee

Chicken Fricassee

     What is Fricassee?  I had only heard about it a few times in my life.  I Googled the dish because I wasn't positive that it was an actual French dish.  I have never really tried French food. I didn't grow up with it or anyone that was French. Actually you will not find much different styles of cuisine in small town West Virginia. According to the web Fricassee is a French word that pertains to a style of cooking meat by braising it in a sauce that is typically white based and cooked with wine.  This was really simple to make and created the most wonderful aroma that permeated my house. If this truly isn't a French dish that you would find in France, than I completely apologize. If it is I am proud to say I took my second chance at trying French cuisine and this time it succeeded.  I won’t delve into my first attempt.  It wasn't too pretty.  This dish combines the wonderful hearty combination of a mirepoix, cream, white wine, and some chicken stock.  Add in a bundle of fresh herbs and you have a wonderful comfort food for the evening. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbs butter
• 1/2 white onion diced
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
• 1 tbs flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 medium bay leaves
• 1 egg
• 1/8 cup cream
• Parsley

      In a Dutch oven melt the butter and brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken and sit aside. In same Dutch oven sauté your onion, carrot, celery, (mirepoix), and mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and continue to sauté for about another 2 minutes or until the flour has become incorporated and cooked. Pour in the broth and white wine. Bring to a simmer and place the chicken breasts back in. Take your thyme and bay leaves and stir in. Cover slightly and simmer on low for about 25 minutes.

     Meanwhile in a small bowl combine the egg and cream and mix. After your pot has been simmering for 25 minutes turn down the heat and remove 1 cup of the liquid. Slowly pour and stir it into your bowl of egg and cream so as not to scramble your egg. Now pour the egg mixture into the pot and stir. This allows the mixture to become creamy and silky.  Take your last tbs of butter and mix it into the pot. Serve this wonderful French chicken dish over some fresh rice pilaf or noodles and sprinkle with fresh parsley. I was very pleased with this dish. I am you’re your family will love it. Very hearty, very comforting, very satisfying. Serves 2.



Steak With Green Peppercorn Sauce

 

Steak Au Poive in Italy

    

     It's our last night in Italy, Milan specifically, we have spent the last 11 days train hopping, sunbathing, drinking vino, hand waving, meeting family, drinking vino, practicing our Italian, drinking vino, hiking, sightseeing, drinking vino, and to say the least we were tired.  We had pasta as much as one can have, (that is a hard thing to admit), so we wanted something out of the ordinary.  It was a rainy day.  We had walked the streets of Milan for hours.  Our feet were tired, our minds exhausted, and our stomachs empty.  It was our dream to travel this far to trace our roots.  We had seen all we could possibly see in almost two weeks time.  It was a dreary day, our minds hurt, our tolerance for each other spent, and our pockets running thin.  It had rained for the most part from the time we got up that day.  Our flight left early the next morning and we wanted a nice sit down meal to end our amazing adventure together.  We slopped through the puddles, the wind, and the dark streets of Milan for a while looking for a place that could meet our needs.  Either the place was closed or the wait was too long for our current patience.  We turned the corner and before our eyes was a bright neon sign and marquee.  A surprisingly little restaurant that appeared to be open and available.  The sign read French and the menu was a combination of both Italian with some French cuisine thrown in.  Our eyes met each other and our thoughts intertwined.  "Could this be any good? Come on, it's a French restaurant in Italy, this can't be any good?" 

 

     We were greeted immediately by a nice gentleman who took us to our table.  The dining room was very well designed with nice white table clothes, dark wood walls, and elegant décor.  They sat us at a long table with other people.  The dining was family style and you sat with others.  We were given each a menu and wine list.  We ordered a light drink and some antipasti.  My cousin and myself decided to go a little different this night.  We chose what is normally a French dish.  A wonderful steak served to our preference topped with a great green peppercorn sauce.  Ahhh, and then heaven was just reached........  The flavorful bursts of the peppercorns in our mouth with such excitement.  The creaminess of the sauce with the addition of Brandy lingered on the palate. The steak cooked perfectly rare so juicy it cut like butter.  Was this the angels speaking to us gently in our ears?  Was this what euphoria feels like?  My mouth, my stomach, my heart all in line with each other.  We were relaxed, content, and happy.  It felt like home should feel.  Steak With Green Peppercorn Sauce

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lg flank steak
• McCormick’s Montreal Seasoning
• 1-cup beef stock
• 1-cup heavy cream
• 1/4-cup brandy
• 2 tbs green peppercorns from brine
• 1 lg shallot
• 2 tbs butter
• Salt/pepper

     I actually made the brine for my peppercorns myself and now store them on my shelf for use at anytime.  In a large sauté pan melt the 2 tbs butter.  Salt and pepper the flank steak and sprinkle on a bit of McCormick’s seasoning.  Pan sear the steak on both sides until a crust has formed.  Remove from the pan and cook quickly on a hot grill to preferred temperature. Remove and sit aside. Then sauté the shallots in same pan until nice and tender.  Pour in the brandy and stock and reduce.  Pour in the cream and the drained peppercorns.  Stir, reduce heat, and simmer very low for about 10 minutes until it thickens.  Slice the flank steak at an angle against the grain.  You will be amazed at how tender it is.  Serve and drizzle some of the peppercorn sauce over top. Serves anywhere between 2-4 people based on size of steak.  One of the best ways to eat a steak! This continues to put me back to that rainy night in Milan.