Boeuf Bourguignon is one of those dishes you could spend many hours preparing. Julia will have you in the kitchen most of the afternoon. The Contessa has that time shortened down to about 2. I varied her recipe quite a bit for different reasons. I didn't have Cognac. For the red wine, she suggests Burgundy, I used Merlot. And even that I cut down to half a bottle. I didn't have mushrooms and don't like them anyway. And hubby didn't even miss them. I had forgotten to get big onions at the grocery store yesterday so I improvised with shallots and jarred onions. Less beef stock, more water. And instead of beef chuck, I used eye roast cut into cubes. Also, to thicken I do better with corn starch where she uses butter and flour. Hers goes in the oven, mine stayed in the stock pot on top. Hers doesn't use any kind of potato but because I have a bigger family to feed, I prepared a side of mashed and we spooned the stew on top. Hmm.... so then I guess it wasn't Ina's recipe at all, it was mine! Well, she certainly inspired me! :)I bought a bread maker sometime last year. Used it for the first time today. It takes a long time but once you put the ingredients in the pan and set it for whatever bread you are making, the rest is done for you .... kneading... resting... rising...baking. For my first attempt, it came out pretty well. I thought the crust was a bit hard, but it was a french bread recipe and I set it for medium crust, so maybe next time I'll try the lower setting. Also, there is a quick bread version that takes half the time, but requires bread machine yeast, or quick rising yeast, so I'll try that next time as well.
Lol... a cook after my own heart! I can never manage to follow the recipe as it's written.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the yummy sounding chicken recipe, I love the quick and easy ones like that.
Your grandson sure is a cutie pie!
lovins,
fiwa
Looks like you did a hell of a job at improvisation.
ReplyDeleteI bet it smelled great.
Mary,
ReplyDeleteDo you need another daughter? Cause I am available for adoption! Between the fun trips, the great parties, the delicious food, and the love you seem to give out by the bushels, I wanna come live with you!!!!! Hugs, Dawn
fiwa: I know sometimes you have to follow along exactly but it's so much fun when you can make changes and it's still yummy. The chicken one I am planning to again soon. I even bought a jar of capers at the store last week!
ReplyDeletehammer: when my daughter first came into the kitchen she had a funny look and said something like it smelled too much like wine, and she doesn't like stew anyway. But after it cooked off and then simmered for awhile I made her try some and she liked it! It was even better the next day for lunch.
Dawn: You would be an awesome daughter! And you can come on all our trips, however I'll have to enlist your help for cleaning and food prep as those big parties wear my butt out big time! LOL
Man I LOVE beef I wish I had proper oven facilities etc then I'd be able to cook "posh" food just like you
ReplyDelete:-<
:-\
ps why are you saying it is 70 degrees... in New Jersey, right? Uh? Please xplain!!
ReplyDeleteHi Gledwood, that beef stew I did right in the pot on top of the stove, so if you have a burner, even an electric one you could do it. We all vary recipes to suit our kitchens/ovens/etc. so I'm sure you'll do just fine. Just don't send me any recipes for the brains. LOL
ReplyDeleteIt is usually cold here, yes, it's winter, but we're having a good rise in temp today. It was about 50 when I messaged you and due to go up to the 70's by this afternoon.