Channeling Julia Child Part II

Winter Culinary Adventures Part III

1:00pm

Boeuf Bourguignon is simmering away on my stove top right now! I've been cooking since 11am and now it will cook for an hour before I leave for work and then it will cook for another hour and a half tonight before we eat it.

So a few special things about this recipe. If you've seen Julie & Julia, then you know that you have to dry your beef before you saute it, or it won't brown! And you definitely want your meat to have a nice crust on it so that it remains tender in the middle while stewing.

Here is a picture of my meat browning nicely in bacon fat! yum!

Another is that you have to pour in almost an entire bottle of wine to the stew before it cooks. Thank God there are places in NYC that deliver wine at 10:30am and don't think you're an alcoholic! $10 for a bottle of Chianti to arrive at my doorstep in half an hour! Amazing! I love this city!

Here is a picture of my Boeuf Bourguignon ready to begin it's long bath in wine and beef stock.

Now Julia's recipe requires that you cook the stew in the oven for two and a half hours in a Dutch oven in your oven. But sadly, I don't own a Dutch oven yet, so I'm simmering it slowly on the stove in a regular pot. I think it will be fine.  So basically I'm gonna let it cook and then I'll continue this post after I get home from work and we're ready to eat it!

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Later That Night:
9:30pm

OMG, People!!

Ok I have just consumed a huge plate of Boeuf Bourguignon! Blogosphere friends, if you are into cooking, even in the slightest, you need to make this dish! It was rich, it was fresh, it was succulent, it was tender. It was amazing! Now keep in mind I've also consumed a couple glasses of wine with the meal, but I highly recommend this one. Even more than Coq au Vin. Here are some pictures of the finished product!