Boeuf Aux Carottes (Beef Stewed With Carrots) |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 3 Minutes |
Ready In: 23 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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A classic French peasant dish, the long slow stewing with carrots and pearl onions gives the meat an unexpected sweetness. Stew beef would be traditional and may be substituted, but the short ribs give it an additional unctuousness from their gelatin. Bone-in is preferable, but the nutrition information comes up wrong, so I listed the boneless first. (This could also be adapted for the crockpot - brown the meat, deglaze with the wine, then combine with the veg, spices and stock in the slow cooker. Cook on low 6 hours, then add carrot coins and cook another 2 hours.) Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless beef short ribs or 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs or 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat |
2 tablespoons olive oil |
1 teaspoon olive oil |
6 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds |
2 cups white pearl onions, thawed from frozen |
2 garlic cloves, smashed |
1 bunch chervil, leaves chopped and stems reserved |
3 juniper berries, crushed (optional) |
2 bay leaves |
1/2 cup dry red wine |
3 cups beef stock |
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick coins |
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature |
2 tablespoons flour |
Directions:
1. In a deep wide pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the short ribs on all sides and place in pan. Brown on all six sides, to a deep brown crust. Place meat on a plate and pour out oil, but do not wipe out pan.
2. Add 1 tsp fresh oil and reduce heat to medium-low. Add the carrots which were cut in thirds, with pearl onions, garlic, chervil stems (not leaves), juniper, bay leaves and salt and pepper. (The juniper berries should be lightly crushed, just to crack them open, not crushed fine.) Saute slowly until garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add wine and scrape bottom of pan with a flat spatula or wooden paddle. Simmer 2-3 minutes.
4. Turn heat to high. Tuck meat back in amongst the vegetables and add beef stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 2 1/2 hours.
5. Add carrot coins and stir into broth. Re-cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.
6. Make a beurre manie by creaming the flour into the butter until completely absorbed. Set aside.
7. After 3 hours, remove and discard the large pieces of carrot, the chervil stems, bay leaves and juniper berries (if you can find them). Skim off and discard as much fat as you can.
8. Add as much or as little of the beurre manie as needed to achieve the thickness you desire in the stew (start with about 1/3 of the total, and add more as needed, allowing it to cook 3-4 minutes after each addition to thicken before adding more if needed). Allow to bubble 5 minutes to achieve full thickness, stir in chervil leaves and serve.
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