GLUTEN-FREE BEEF BOURGUIGNON
This classic recipe for Beef Bourguignon does take a bit of time to make, even if most of it is spent enjoying the aromas emanating from the simmering pot.
One vital requirement, apart from good beef, is for some good, jellied beef stock, and while home-made is always preferable, if needs must, choose the best store-bought alternative you can find.
Then, while the dish itself takes a few hours to prepare, it responds well to a good rest afterwards, and keeping it overnight to allow the flavours to develop is highly recommended.
That’s if you have time, before you invite everyone around for an easy, flavoursome, heart-warming meal. Classic.
Jan
BEEF BOURGUIGNON
Serves 6 - 8
2 tablespoons olive oil, more if necessary
170 gm bacon or speck, roughly chopped
1.5 kg beef brisket or chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 5cm chunks
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 1cm thick
1 large white onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
12 golden shallots or small onions, halved
500 ml red wine, a Pinot Noir if there’s one to hand
750 ml home-made jellied beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, finely diced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
500 gm fresh button mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 tablespoons butter
Extra sea salt and pepper
Extra parsley leaves, finely diced, to serve
Preheat oven to 170°C.
Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-based casserole dish. Sauté the bacon over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, until crisp and browned. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and set aside.
Pat the beef dry with paper towel. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the dish and sear beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove to the bowl with the bacon.
Adding more oil if necessary, sauté the carrots and diced onions for about 5 minutes until softened, then add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. (Cover remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic and set aside.)
Return the bacon and beef to the casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the gluten-free flour. Toss well together and cook for 4 or 5 minutes to brown, stirring regularly.
Add the golden shallots, wine and enough stock so that the meat is just covered. (You may have stock left over.) Then add the tomato paste, chilli flakes and herbs, stirring again. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
Add the lid and transfer the dish to the lower part of the oven, simmering very gently for around 2 hours. You may need to lower the heat to 160°C to keep the simmer very slow.
After an hour and a half, remove the lid and stir occasionally as the sauce reduces. Cook until the beef is tender and falling apart. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
At this point the dish can be removed from the oven and served with the mushrooms.
Or it can be left to cool then refrigerated to allow the flavours to develop. When you wish to serve, bring the dish back to room temperature for an hour before warming through gently on the stove on a low heat, stirring occasionally.
Several minutes before serving, heat the butter in a large non-stick frypan.
When the foam subsides, add the 2 cloves of minced garlic reserved earlier and stir through the butter for half a minute before adding the mushrooms.
Cook for a few minutes only, stirring and shaking the pan to coat mushrooms with butter. Season.
When the mushrooms are browned add them to the beef and vegetables and stir well to combine. Replace the lid, turn off the heat and rest for a couple of minutes.
To serve, ladle a generous amount of the Beef Bourguignon onto each plate. Scatter with a sprinkling of parsley and serve with creamy mashed potatoes.