You and Julia
This Boeuf Bourguignon was prepared following Julia Child's original recipe from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."
Though we lost Julia Child in 2004, she enjoyed quite a comeback in 2009.
Thanks to Julie Powell’s blog, which became a book, “Julie and Julia” became a successful film, starring Meryl Streep. Then I shared the story of Oklahoma City’s own John Bennett, who enjoyed a lifelong friendship with the iconic chef that picked up at the moment in history where her part in “Julie and Julia” ended.
While Streep’s unbridled interpretation of Julia in all her eccentric wonder stole the show, the recipe that likely remained kicking around in the head’s of viewers is Boeuf Bourguignon.
The arctic temperatures that have the Heartland in the stranglehold, make this the the time to embrace your inner Julia. This is comfort food from France, guaranteed to warm the soul. Even my vegetarian wife enjoys the buttery onions and mushrooms in the resulting velvet-smooth brown gravy. Chili is clearly a great call for this kind of weather, but boeuf bourguignon stands shoulder to shoulder with it for cold daze like those upon and before us.
Thanks to Random House for releasing the original recipe for BB plus sauteed mushrooms and brown-braised onions from “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.’ Simply click on the images and zoom to about 50%, depending on the size of your screen, to read the recipe in Julia’s original text. Bon Appetit!
And here is Julia’s guide to choosing the right beef for this dish, courtesy of Random House:
The better the meat, the better the stew. While cheaper and coarser cuts may be used, the following are most recommended. Count on 1 pound of boneless meat, trimmed of fat, for 2 people; 3 if the rest of the menu is large.
First choice: Rump Pot Roast—Pointe de Culotte, or Aiguillette de Rumstek
Other choices: Chuck Pot Roast—Paleron, or Macreuse à Pot-au-feu
Sirloin Tip—Tranche Grasse
Top Round—Tende de Tranche
Bottom Round—Gîte à la Noix
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Awesome recipe. I have my mother’s much loved copy of this book now in my possesssion. So glad they re-released this for the next generation of home gourmets.