Boeuf Bourguignon Soup

My friend Laurie made this soup and said it was delicious. It made me think of Julie and Julia and her Boeuf Bourguignon, baked in the oven--the first batch ruined.  Although I've never made it, I did make a delicious soup from a recipe in Fanny Farmer Cookbook that used ribs.  That was back in the 70s, haven't cooked with ribs in years.  But if you think about it, this recipe is similar to beef stew, only soupy and with added bacon and minus the potatoes.  Yummy for a cold winter day.  Serve with gluten-free bread or rice tortillas. 

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, December 2010

4 bone-in short ribs (2 lbs total) Grass-fed if possible.

Salt & pepper

2 tablespoons non GMO cornstarch or rice flour

3 Tbl olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, quartered

1 pound carrots, chopped into 3/4 inch pieces

2 strips bacon (non-nitrated from Trader Joe's)

3 shallots, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 Tbl tomato paste

2 sprigs thyme (you can grow this on your windowsill)

1 bay leaf (optional)

1 cup red wine

8 cups organic beef stock

2 cups water

rice noodles, cooked

1. Dredge ribs in seasoned (salt and pepper) rice flour or corn starch. Brown ribs in hot oil.  Remember, the darker you brown the beef, the richer the broth. Remove meat and brown the mushrooms in same oil.  Remove mushrooms to another plate to be added back at end.

2. Place carrots in pot with bacon, shallots, celery. Cook, stirring until the vegetables are caramelized and tender. Add tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf to the pot, then pour in red wine. Use a wooden spoon to glaze brownies from the bottom of the pot.

3. Add in beef stock and water. Return meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, and allow to cook for 2 1/2 hours. Remove ribs and separate meat from bones.  Add back along with mushrooms about twenty minutes before serving. Serve with rice noodles cooked al dente.

Beef Stew

Okay, I have to admit that as a single person, stew isn't something I make often--because it's a big pot of food that I'll be eating meal after meal.  Just can't do that.  But here's how my mother taught me to make stew and it is delicious.

Take a package (approx. 2 lbs.) of organic stew meat and shake it in a plastic bag with approximately one cup of seasoned (salt and pepper) rice flour (my mother used wheat).  Now, in melted butter in an iron pan, saute the stew meat until browned on all sides.  Mother said it should be browned very dark--then you'll end up with a rich dark gravy.  She hated chicken gravy because it was so blonde.  I happen to love chicken gravy, but be patient with the browning process--it'll pay off.

Once the meat is good and brown, add red wine and water.  Perhaps 1 cup each.  This isn't rocket science and if you are uncomfortable with not following an exact recipe, then I apologize.  But creative cooking is good--so pour in some liquid.  You could also use organic chicken broth.  The idea is that there's enough broth to submerge lots of chopped carrots, onion, and celery.  And eventually potatoes.

Add the carrots (a bunch cut in 1 inch pieces) as the flavor of carrots is sweet and adds depth to the gravy.  Also one whole chopped onion and lots of celery (6 stalks or more chopped in 1 inch pieces.)

Once the meat and vegetables have simmered for about an hour or two (poke with a fork to determine tenderness), add several potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters.

Taste your gravy at this point.  Add salt and pepper, oregano, thyme or bay to taste.   Simmer until potatoes and meat are tender--about another hour.

Delicious!  Serve with salad and red wine.

Angus Burgers with Avocado an Aioli

I buy my beef at Costco.  It's organic and fresh and less expensive then beef at Trader Joe's--although you can just buy one pound there.  Generally, I'm cooking for one, so it's a little tough eating the same meal day after day.  So once I make something, it's good to freeze portions for the nights I don't feel like cooking.

Angus Burgers

Form beef into 1/4 pound patties--one package from Costco is one pound of beef.   Salt and pepper well.

Fry over medium heat.  Mother used to turn her beef patties once the juice began to collect on the top of the meat.  Let it cook until your preferred rareness or well-doneness.

Serve with sliced avocados (a very good fat for our bodies) and aioli sauce.

Enjoy!

Nancy

PS  If you want to use a bun, try local bakeries for gluten free buns--or look in the freezer case at your local grocers.  Trader Joes sells rice tortillas.  Fred Meyers has gluten free breads in their freezer case in the health food section.  I like Avenue Bread's GF buns and bread--although they do have dairy in them.