Beef Bourguignon

Want to add lots of flavor to your food without adding too much sodium in your diet?  Use fresh herbs!  Tons of fresh herbs.  That’s one of the reasons why I love using fresh herbs in my cooking.  They are refreshing and always bring out the natural flavor and sweetness of the ingredients.  If you pair the herbs with the right ingredients, that would  elevate and enhance the flavor of the whole dish tremendously. 
 

I don’t have a back yard at my place, so, I got this little herb plant and it’s been thriving on my kitchen window ever since (it’s probably better for the plant because I know I would forget to water it daily if it’s in the back yard).  This plant is considered very low maintenance, which is a big plus!  Just water it once every morning and give it lots of sunshine is all it needs.  In this pot, from the top moving clockwise, there are rosemary, thyme and oregano.  I use them quite often and they always grow faster than I use them.  Unlike another herb plant I have, which is sweet basil.  The leaves are almost all gone now and that poor thing look so “naked” I don’t even want to pose its picture up here…sniff..sniff… 



In this Beef Bourguignon, I used all 3 kinds of herbs from my plant.  It’s so flavorful that I didn’t even need to put any salt and pepper at the end to season it.  The rosemary adds an aromatic and woodsy flavor to the beef that matches perfectly with the red wine.  The thyme is refreshing and is lemony which is pairing nicely with the lemon zest to brightens up the whole dish.  The oregano is fragrant and sweet, it brings out the natural sweetness from the carrots.  The beef is so tender that the meat is literally falling apart when it’s done.  The mushrooms adds an earthy flavor and the pearl onions add another level of sweetness.  It is such a comforting meal and would certainly warms up your belly after 1 bowl.   Perfect for the fall and winter season.         



You can serve the Beef Bourguignon with garlic toasts for dipping, over a bed of creamy mash potatoes, pour over a plate of pasta, or with a bowl of white/brown rice.  We paired it with a bowl of brown rice today.  It’s delicious, easy to make.  Best of all, it’s a 1 pot meal, which means less clean up to do and you can enjoy your evening longer!  ;)

                                                     **Giveaway**

Canadian Beef is sponsoring a wonderful giveaway at Kitchen Play. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen Play to enter.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win $100 (6 prizes total).  This contest is open through February 28, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!

                          

This beef Bourguignon over Brown Rice is the French version of the Asian Style Chili with Garlic Fried Rice.  We are taking you around the world without hopping onto a plane!  :)






Beef Bourguignon: Printable Recipe

Yield: 6 servings


Marinate:
2 1/2 pounds chuck beef cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
1 tablespoon steak seasonings



For the Bourguignon:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
1 can (2 cups) beef consommé 
1 tablespoon tomato paste
7-8 stems fresh thyme, tie with kitchen twine
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
15 whole black pepper corns, tie in cheese cloth or disposable tea bags
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
A dash of Tabasco
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon rock sugar (it helps tenderize the meat)
1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
1 pound frozen whole pearl onions
1 pound fresh mushrooms stems discarded, caps thickly sliced (I used a combination of button and cremini)
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 teaspoon cold water
1/4 cup fresh Italian flat leave parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

To marinate:

In a large zip lock bag, combine chuck beef with marinate ingredients.  Squeezing out extra air and close the bag.  Massage meat to distribute marinates evenly.  Leave at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or refrigerate to marinate overnight.

To cook the Bourguignon:  
Heat the olive oil in a large pot.  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 a plate and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Add the red wine, and beef consommé.  Put the meat back into the pot with the juices. Add enough water to almost cover the meat (if needed).  Add the tomato paste and thyme, pepper flakes, black pepper, Worcestershire, Tabasco, bay leaves, and rock sugar.  Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.  Add carrots and cook for another 40 minutes.  Then turn the heat to medium high, add onion and mushrooms.  Bring the stew to a boil and add corn starch mixture.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon zest.  Add kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste.


This recipe is linked to:
Hearth n’ Soul Blog Hop
Mouthwatering Monday