NATIONAL DISHES: FRANCE

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

The national dish of France - Boeuf Bourguignon

PREP TIME: 30 mins

COOK TIME: 2 hrs

TOTAL TIME: 2 hrs 30 mins

INGREDIENTS  

• 1 kg beef cut in large cubes
• 2 carrots
• 1 onion
• 30 g flour
• 1 “bouquet garni” =bundle of herbs, see details further down
• 2 garlic cloves
• 40 cl red wine
• 40 cl beef stock
• vegetable oil
• salt
• black pepper
• 150 g mushrooms
• 150 g pearl onions
• 250 g pork belly or bacon optional if you don't eat pork

For the "bouquet garni"

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 stalks leafy greens from the celery stalks
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350°F)
2. Start with the vegetables: chop the carrots in 1 cm pieces and the onion finely
3. Dry the beef cubes with paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. In a pan, heat some oil and add the beef pieces. Braise meat for 5 minutes and add the chopped vegetables
5. Stir for a few minutes, while you prepare the “bouquet garni” by arranging the herbs in a neat stack, one on top of the other, and then tie the ingredients into a tight bundle with string.
6. Add the flour and continue to stir
7. Transfer to a Dutch oven (casserole dish)
8. Add the wine, the beef stock.the finely chopped garlic and the “bouquet garni”
9. Cook in the oven for around 2 hours
10. In the meantime, cook the pearl onions (until golden but still firm) and mushrooms separately
11. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the beef stew once it is cooked. Remove the "bouquet garni"
12. Best served with egg pasta (tagliatelle), mashed or boiled potatoes

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking