lunes, 19 de abril de 2010

My posthumous post...nearly.



When it comes to cooking, French people have a “je ne sais quoi” , it’s in their blood. Cooking and eating is a daily experience but is something mystical at the same time. People gather around the table, to share and eat. Same as the rest of us Latin people! Celebration around a table full of food, family and friends, who can ask for anything more? French cuisine is different to Italian or Spanish food, when it comes to the way they cook some ingredients, but there us no doubt about it: French people are real masters in the art of food, and because of this, they are known worldwide. Escoffier would be so proud...





Beef bourguignon, was a recipe originally made by peasants, it has climbed up in the culinary scale, it was very popular in the sixties and it’s now coming back, and I am glad about it, because I really like this recipe, it’s not a simple one, but its elegance and flavour its guaranteed. You need to marinate the meat overnight, and that will give it a lovely flavour.


I have to say that this could have been my last post in my blog, and not because my blog is in danger, but because when i finish the cooking the recipe, after setting everything for the photo shoot, and after looking the plate and decorate and garnish it, after taking all the photos, I finally sat down exhausted, and hungry, so I ate it...I was really enjoying it, but suddenly a bothering baby onion got stuck in my throat and I was literally choking! T was then when I felt, that my time had come. I couldn’t breath and my heart was jumping in my chest, so scared. So, I got ready to see all my like in pictures as they say it happens when, you are going to die, but instead, I rebel myself, It was impossible that my time had come, so soon? So, since I was on my own, and there was nobody to perform the Heimlich manouver, and the cat was not helping, I went for a big jump, and it worked! ...the cat run away and the killer onion jumped the other way...and so I carried on eating...


My time has not yet come, apparently.





Ingredients:


For the marinade


A big carrot chopped


An onion chopped


1 Bouquet garni (make a bouquet with the green part of a llek, add some thyme, parsley and celery leaves)


1 celery stick, chopped


2 garlic cloves


3 tablespoons brandy


10 peppercorns


1 1/5 litrers good red wine


2 tablespoon olive oil


1 kilo beef, diced


Method for the marinade:


Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl and let rest overnight in the fridge.






Ingredients for the casserole:


200 g bacon, diced


150 mushrooms


1 tablespoon butter


400ml beef stock or water


150g button onions


1 tablespoon tomato puree


½ tablespoon sugar


2 tablespoon chopped garlic


2 tablespoon flour



2 slices white bread cut in triangles


2 tablespoons chopped parsley





Method


Sieve the marinade over a saucepan, and bring to the boil, reserve the vegetables and the bouquet garni. Keep the meat in another plate. When it boils, cook for five minutes and pass through A SIEVE. In another saucepan, heat some oil and butter, and fry the meat, until golden brown, keep the beef in a plate while you add the vegetables from the marinade and fry. Put back the meat, and add the tomato puree and the flour, add the liquid from the marinade and bring to the boil, and stirring, add the stock or water and the bouquet garni, bring to the boil again, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for an hour and a half.





Whilst the meat is cooking, get a small saucepan and place the baby onions, butter, sugar and salt, and cover with water. Cook on a medium heat, until the water has evaporated, shake the saucepan, so the onions get golden brown. In a frying pan, fry the mushroom in butter and ad the onion, apart, fry the garlic and bacon and add to the onions and mushrooms.


When the meat is tender, pass the sauce through a sieve, and return to the heat. Cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes, add the mushrooms and the bacon, and turn off the heat.


For the bread, butter the slices and bake in the oven until they are golden. Dip one tip in the cooking sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.


When you are ready to serve, sprinkle more parsley on the meat. And be very careful with those killer onions!




11 comentarios:

  1. What a splendid meal! Everything looks so perfect! Nice presentation...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. I'm so gld to hear those onions didn't kill you! This looks delicious and I'd love to stop by your house for a plateful. Take care and be careful in the kitchen!

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  3. Beautiful Presentation! The food looks great!

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  4. ahhh and lke Vanessa, I am also glad to hear those onions didn't kill you.

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  5. Oh my god, thank god you are ok. It must have ben super scarry being that you were all alone. Your dish looks amazing, but no foods, no matter how delicious, are worth that.
    Be safe ;)
    *kisses* HH

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  6. Oh my goodness! I'm sure that was one scary experience! Glad you are safe and the dish looks delicious :)

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  7. Estoy totalmente de acuerdo contigo sobre los franceses. Me encanta tu blog!!!
    Besos desde Florida

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  8. gee, almost killed by a pearl onion! I am so glad you lived to tell the tale! The baby carrots look so adorably delicious too!

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  9. Oh my! I'm glad that you were able to get rid of that killer onion. Yay! Otherwise, the food looks really good.

    Big hug from NY,
    Paz

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  10. Thanks for sharing this post with us, love your use of ingredients for your dishes

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  11. Hola Pity
    Glad the killer onion was dispelled from your throat!!
    The recipe looks great and very tasty. I shall definately have a go at this one.

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