Friday, December 10, 2010

FFwD - My Go To Beef Daube


I do love comfort foods. There is nothing like a hearty stew on a cold night to make the world seem a brighter place, as it warms you from the inside out. My Mum used to make a beef stew she called Hotch Potch. I have tried many times to make hotch potch just like Mum's, but it is never the same. Mine tends to be a watery, less flavoursome imitation of the real thing.

Although it is summer here, my pick for this week's French Fridays With Dorie was My Go to Beef Daube - a type of rich beef stew with root vegetables, bacon and red wine. Although it was not perhaps what I'd normally make in summer, it was a delicious, rich dish which I nonetheless enjoyed.


The lighting gods were not smiling on me when I finally completed My Go To Beef Daube for this week's French Fridays With Dorie - so unfortunately, the best photo that I have of he finished product is the one that you see at the top of this post.

However, so that you get a feel for what this stew is like, I took some step by step shots when the lighting was much better.

First you dice the beef - Dorie used chuck, I used blade:



You also dice up a few slices of bacon:


and some carrots, parsnips and onion (I just threw in some garlic cloves as I didn't have a full bulb of garlic):


You then brown the bacon in the pan:


then the beef:


After setting aside the meat, you fry up the finely sliced onion:


followed by the rest of the veges, then the whole lot goes back into the pot with the red wine (or in my case, a mixture of red wine and water because I didn't have enough wine):


The daube then cooks for 2 1/2 hours all up in the oven. Voila! You have beef daube (and a kitchen that smells like cooking meat).

The long cooking time for this stew leaves the meat soft and tender, while the red wine adds a richness of flavour and smell.

This is a beautiful stew, which I will certainly make again - in the winter.

To see what the other FFwD members made this week, visit the LYL section for this week at the FFwD website.

31 comments:

Kayte said...

Great process photos...love seeing all that. I wasn't going to make this one as I figured it was just another beef stew and then I saw and read your post and am thinking that I should make it. It's summer there...it's summer there...it's summer there, maybe if I keep chanting that I will either be transported there instantly or it will appear here. So envious of those words!!!

Cakelaw said...

LOL - u have made me laugh Kayte on a dreary grey morning when I have missed the train and am feeling out of sorts. I wish lots of sunshine your way, whether it be from the sun or family and friends. Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

I'm happy that you made this even though it's summer for you. I'm intrigued by the fact that you cooked your dish on top of the stove for 2&1/2 hours. I think I misread the directions because I ended up putting mine in the stove. Oh, well. I should really stop trying to make several new recipes at once!

Cakelaw said...

Nope, I have just remembered that I did the 2 1/2 hours in the oven too - I am reinventing the process to suit myself :) Will amend that.

stef said...

That looks marvelous... well done you for braving casserole making in the summer

Cher Rockwell said...

Oh, summer is a distant memory and a far off dream up in this end of the world. It was 8F (-13C) this morning. But I am sure that if I had a bowl of that stew in hand, it would not have seemed so dreadful.

Enjoy the warmth and that beautiful stew!

Claire @ Claire K Creations said...

Oh yum. This looks like a great recipe for my new cast iron pot. I might wait until the weather cools down a bit.

Beth said...

That stew really looks wonderful. I'll have to add this to my list of "must try" recipes.

The Blonde Duck said...

I love thick, meaty dishes like this.

Elaine said...

This looks so good and I imagine that you will love it even more during the winter. Your process photos are great.

Christina said...

I couldn't believe how much flavor came from a dish with such simple ingredients. This is a keeper recipe for sure. Thanks for sharing your pictures with us, it's fun to see the process!

Audrey said...

I'm smiling, and impressed with you, because I just made another beef stew and browning all that meat and leaving the oven on for hours was such a hot, messy process...perfect for our cold snap but not something I would have wanted to do in summer! Agree that your process photos are great and the finished dish looks delicious too!

Flourchild said...

I loved this one too! Your stew looks awesome! It's the perfect comfort food.

Jayne said...

I kind of wish it was summer here, though below-freezing weather IS perfect for this dish! I'll have to make that soon. Yours looks great!

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

That looks delicious! Will you keep trying to perfect your mum's do you think? :)

Karla said...

Yes, bravo for having your oven on for so long in the summer! I actually had to crack the window open the day I made this 'cuz my kitchen got so hot, and it was below zero C here!

Cheers,
Karla

Lori Pierce said...

This looks delicious! I think the aroma of this dish was one of the best parts.

Trevor Sis Boom said...

Thanks for the process photos. I need to pay more attention to that because people really are interested. The stew looks fab and I really don't see any issue with stew in the summer. My only complaint is that it is NOT summer here yet!
Trevor Sis. Boom.

Jessica of My Baking Heart said...

Looks wonderful - it was perfect for us, since the nighttime temps are so low! :)

Ariel said...

I have been craving red meat lately, so I will have to give this a try! I have been a little behind with FFWD these past couple of weeks.

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

I agree, total comfort food and oh so delicious!
I loveee the browing part , so good!
Oh this months Recipes are all so good!
ANd the stew look perfet , am looking forward to add in lods of red wine :-)

Barbara l Vino Luci Style said...

I'm making Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon today which is well, almost the same thing. The house smells wonderful and I love that the work is done before noon for guest this evening. I'm sure Dorie's Beef Daube is just as amazing...truly is comfort food; but elegant comfort it is!

Anonymous said...

This looks delicious! I plan to make this before I head to Australia so I can enjoy it while it's freezing outside here in Atlanta! - Laura

Unknown said...

How does the Beef Daube compare with your mom's Hotch Potch? since it's summer there have you tried to make the ice cream? I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

Steph said...

Sorry you're having a rough day. Your stew looks perfect...even if made in the heat of summer!

Welcome to our crazy blessed life said...

mmmm I can't wait to make this and you make it wound fabulous. It is 30 degrees here today and would be perfect. Glad this turned out so well! :)

Unknown said...

Even though the lighting Gods weren't smiling down on you (as you say) your finished dish looks very tasty indeed. Would love to know more about Hotch Potch too :)

Cakelaw said...

Hi Lorraine and Kudos, maybe I'll ask Mum for the recipe and have another go.

Kris' Kitchen said...

We all enjoyed this stew at my house. And, I like the step by step photos...I try to add a few. That way, I can just tell my girls to view my blog and since they have Dorie's recipe book they have a visual for the "how to"...works great!

Liz That Skinny Chick Can Bake said...

One of the best beef stews, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

It looks like a lovely winter dish, and it is certainly winter where I am!