Boeufflamande Recipes

Steps:

• Marinate the beef overnight in the ale with the garlic and bay leaves. The next day, drain the beef from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper and toss it in the seasoned flour until evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole until hot. Fry the beef in 3-4 batches for about 5 minutes per batch, stirring occasionally, until it is a rich golden brown all over. You may need to add a little more oil between batches but make sure it is hot again before adding the next batch. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside. Don't worry if the bottom of the casserole is starting to brown, this all adds to the flavour of the finished dish.
• Lower the heat to medium and fry the pancetta in the casserole for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden. Scoop the pancetta out with a slotted spoon and set aside with the beef.
• Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/gas 3. Tip the carrots, onions and leek into the casserole and fry, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown - this takes about 12 minutes. Spoon in the tomato purée and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the beef and pour in the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan, then add all the beef stock and bouquet garni to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and bring everything to the boil. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through. (The carbonnade may now be left to cool and frozen for up to 1 month. Add 100ml/31⁄2 fl oz more stock to the sauce when reheating.) When the beef is ready, taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top and serve straight from the casserole, with creamy mash or jacket potatoes and buttered greens or cabbage.

Steps:

• In a large stock pot over medium/high heat, heat the oil and add the beef pieces. Sprinkle the flour over the beef. Brown the meat on all sides.
• Pour in broth and red wine. Sprinkle in salt, marjoram, thyme and black pepper.
• Bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add mushrooms and onions to the pot. Liquid should just cover everything. If necessary, add some more wine to cover. Cook until onions are limp.

Steps:

• Pick over the stewing beef and cut it into smallish cubes.
• Sear in the oil, browning it well.
• Chop the onion and smash the garlic.
• Turn down the heat and cook the onion and garlic gently with the meat.
• Check the oil (there should still be some).
• Stir in the flour and mix to a paste, then add the beer, stir rapidly as it thickens and adjust the liquid with water so that the meat is covered.
• Season with salt and grounf black pepper and add the bouquet garni.
• Cover with the lid and simmer gently for at least one hour (more for tougher cuts of beef), stirring and checking the liquid level occasionally so that it does not dry out and stick.
• Serve with filling vegetables such as potatoes.

Steps:

• Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Dry the beef and heat the fat in a 9- to 10-inch ovenproof casserole or pot until almost smoking. Brown the beef quickly on all sides, a few pieces at a time, removing them as they brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat and set aside.
• Reduce heat. Stir in onions, adding more fat if necessary. Brown lightly about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic. Set aside. Add stock to the pan and scrape up the brown bits and coagulated juices.
• Arrange half the beef in the pan and spread with half the onions. Repeat with the remaining beef and onions. Add enough beer to cover the meat. Stir in the brown sugar and bury the herb bouquet in the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Cook at a slow simmer (check occasionally) for 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender.
• Remove from the oven and discard the herb bouquet. Remove beef and skim off the fat. Blend the arrowroot with 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir into the liquid. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until thickened. Adjust seasonings. Return meat to the pan, stir and heat through. Serve with noodles.

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal; shake to coat.
• Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bacon to pan; cook one minute. Add beef mixture; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove beef from pan.
• Add onion and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender.
• Return beef to pan. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add water and the next 7 ingredients; bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and cook 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaves. Garnish with parsley.

Steps:

• Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and salt; cook and stir until well browned and caramelized, about 5 minutes. They will be wet and soggy at first but will dry out.
• Add shallots and cook until they soften up and turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add black pepper, cayenne, and white wine. Stir until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
• Add pate to cooled mushroom mixture; toss and mash with a spoon until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• Generously season filets with salt and pepper. Melt butter for Wellingtons in the same pan over high heat. Sear, one at a time, in the hot pan until the sides and edges are nicely browned, about 5 minutes per filet. Transfer to a plate and place in the refrigerator until needed.
• Cut each sheet of pastry into 4 squares. Place one square frozen puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Spoon about 3 tablespoons pate mixture into the center and press out to roughly the same size as a filet. Spread 1/2 tablespoon mustard on top of one filet and place mustard-side down on the pate.
• Gently stretch and fold the shorter sides of the pastry around the filet, then bring the longer sides up and over to seal. You can stretch the dough that will be on the bottom of the filet, but try not to stretch it on the sides and top. It's okay to have a couple of small holes at the bottom. Flip Wellington over and place seam-side down on a plate. Repeat to form remaining 3 Wellingtons, then transfer all to the refrigerator.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Cut remaining 4 squares of puff pastry into circles that are roughly the size of the Wellingtons. Place on the prepared sheet pan and poke all over each circle with a fork.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip, and press circles down with a spatula to flatten. Return to the oven and bake until cooked through and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and lift off the sheet pan to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Transfer Wellingtons to the freezer for exactly 15 minutes. Line the same sheet pan with aluminum foil, then top with parchment paper. Beat egg with water in a small bowl.
• When Wellingtons have been in the freezer for 15 minutes, transfer to the prepared pan and generously brush with egg wash.
• Bake pastry in the center of the preheated oven until pastry is golden brown and puffed and filets are cooked through, 23 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 122 degrees F (50 degrees C).
• Immediately remove from the hot pan and transfer onto a plate or cutting board for at least 5 minutes. Cut Wellingtons in half, then trim each end to create a flat surface.
• Place each rounded pastry base on a plate and stand 2 filet halves on top with center cut facing up.