Remembering Rainy Days

There is something seductively romantic about throwing yourself into another culture.  Whether you experience it through reading, music, and, of course, recipes, or you actually are fortunate enough to live in a foreign country, the headiness of the moment is amazing. 

I was fortunate to have lived in Bavaria for 3 years.  The small hamlet I called home was located less than 30 kilometers from many of my relatives who never ventured to the "New Country," instead they remained to run the family business (one of the largest piano companies in the world with an internationally famous piano competition each year).  From the moment I stepped off the plane, I knew that I would take full advantage of this wonderous opportunity and embrace every new experience I could. 
One of my favorite memories from this time was my walk to work.  No, trodding off to work 16-18 hours, many times with few or no breaks, wasn't the catalyst to the memory.  It is, instead, the wonderous breakfast I would have every morning.  Across the street from my condo was a small backerei (bakery).  I would awaken to the delicious smells of fresh baked breads, tortes, and rolls (brotchen).  I would hastily make my claim to the perfect brotchen, dash down the street and around the corner to the metzgerei (meat market) where I would add a small dish of fleischsalat (what Americans would call, meat salad or bolonga salad).  The delicate flavor of Bavarian-style mayonnaise, strips of lunchmeat and garlic pickles wrapped in the crunchy hard roll still makes my mouth water. 

I've tried 100 times to recreate this flavor over the years to no avail.  It is my hope that my latest Internet find will be able to help me!  www.GermanDeli.com .  Simply visiting their site brought back a wave of memories of delicious meals and treats that I used to devour.  The majority of their items are imported from Germany so I have high hopes that the memories will no longer be that distant. 

Until then, Guten Essen!

Boeuf Bourguignon ala Chef Tae

For years people have told me that I needed to invest in Le Creuset cookware. I balked due to the weight of the pots. (And, for those of you who know me, know that I am FRUGAL!). I couldn't justify the cost. Now I hang my head in shame for being so silly.

Last Friday my first piece of Le Creuset arrived- a delicate 2.5 quart dutch oven!! (=confession= It was second-hand which still fulfilled my frugal nature.) I scrubbed it clean, put it on the stove and grabbed a copy of Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

There is no word in the English language to describe the depth of flavor that lay hidden in the bubbling heaven in my bowl. A surprisingly easy recipe, I know I will be making this dish quite often! While cooking with alcohol is something I usually avoid, diluted with equal parts of water, it was delicious!

Now, some of you may be saying, "This recipe isn't German". You are right. It's not. But, since the name of this blog is Guten Essen (Good Food), this recipe definitely meets the criteria!

Boeuf Bourguignon ala Chef Tae

I divided the following recipe in half to accommodate my smaller dutch oven.

It turned out perfectly and would easily provide 3 servings. As written, 6 servings.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 slices bacon, rough dice
• 2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher or Mediterranean Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 can (2 cups) beef broth (roughly)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 4 tablespoons butter at room temperature, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.

Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Toss the carrots, and onions, 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices.

Add the wine, water, plus enough beef broth to cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven for about 1 1/4 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil on top of the stove, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 -20 minutes. Season to taste.

To serve, slice french bread into 1" slices, baste with melted butter, and pop in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up.

Thank you, Julia, for your dedication to making our lives better through new foods! As Julia Child would say, "Bon Appetit!"