On a recent trip to Victoria, British Columbia, Pat and I visited the home of some friends -- old friends for her, new friends for me.

As probably is happening among foodies all over nowadays, conversation turned to the movie Julie & Julia which had just come out and, with that, discussion of the supposedly challenging and difficult Boeuf Bourguignon recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. 

Personally, I don't see what is so daunting about the recipe.  Still, I make a similar dish called Beef en Daube, which is somewhat simpler.  "Daube" refers to the earthenware pot in which the dish is traditionally cooked.  A good crockpot makes a modern substitute. While Beef en Daube is easier to make than Boeuf Bourguignon, you still need to count on a long slow cook to get tender meat and good flavor.

Here is the recipe:

4	oz	Bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips
3	lbs	Stewing beef cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
1	large	Onion, peeled and cut in half crosswise
4		Cloves
1		Carrot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
1	bottle	Sturdy red wine (Côtes du Rhône, Beaujoulais, Bordeaux)
3	cloves	Garlic, peeled and smashed
2	whole	Bay leaves
1/8	tsp	Dried thyme (optional)
10	fl oz	Condensed canned beef broth, preferably low salt, undiluted
2	tbsp	Tomato paste
20		Pearl onions, peeled (optional)
10		Button mushrooms, cleaned, stems cut off and quartered (optional)
3	tbsp	Butter, room temperature
5	tbsp	All-purpose flour
		Salt and pepper to taste

1. Fry the bacon until crisp and then drain off the fat.
2. Stick the pointed ends of the cloves into the outside of the onion halves.  This makes them easier to remove later.
3. Put the bacon and all of the other ingredients, except the pearl onions, mushrooms, butter and flour, into the crockpot.  Following the manufacturers directions, cook for 4 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender.  If your crockpot has a heat adjustment, use the lowest heat that will keep the liquid at a very low boil.
4. A half hour before the dish is cooked, remove the large onion halves, bay leaves and the pieces of carrot using a slotted spoon.
5. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms.
6. In a bowl, mix together the butter and flour to make a paste.
7. Use your fingers, crumble about half of the butter and flour mixture into the liquid and stir.  Cover and allow to return to a boil to thicken the gravy.  If necessary, add more of the mixture and repeat until the gravy is the desired thickness.
8. Skim off the surface fat and serve hot, accompanied with mashed potatoes.

I like to use smoked bacon slices, since they add an interesting flavor.  If you prefer to not have the smokiness, use fatback or pancetta.  If it is salty, simmer in hot water for 10 minutes to remove the salt before proceeding.

If you don't have a crockpot, use a casserole and cook covered in a 325°F (165°C) oven.

While the above recipe will make an adequate Beef en Daube, you may find the flavor a little one dimensional.  In cooking, you can add depths of flavor by a number of different techniques.  To make a more flavorful Beef en Daube, try the following:

Method 2

1. Fry the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon from the fat and set aside.
2. Working in batches if necessary, brown the meat on all sides in the hot bacon fat.  Place on a plate covered with two layers of paper towel to remove some of the excess fat.
3. Stick the pointed ends of the cloves into the outside of the onion halves.  This makes them easier to remove later.  Brown the cut surfaces of the onion halves in the bacon fat.  Drain on paper towel with the meat.
4. Put all of the ingredients, except the pearl onions, mushrooms, butter and flour, into the crockpot.  Following the manufacturers directions, cook for 4 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender.  If your crockpot has a heat adjustment, use the lowest heat that will keep the liquid at a very low boil.
5. About a half hour before the dish is done, remove the large onion halves, bay leaves and the pieces of carrot using a slotted spoon.
6. Saute the pearl onions and mushrooms in a little olive oil over medium high heat until browned.  Add to the crockpot and cook 30 minutes longer.
7. In a bowl, mix together the butter and flour to make a paste.
8. Using your fingers, crumble about half of the butter and flour mixture into the liquid and stir.  Cover and allow to return to a boil to thicken the gravy.  If necessary, add more of the mixture and repeat until the gravy is the desired thickness.
9. Skim off the surface fat and serve hot, accompanied with mashed potatoes.

The few extra step of browning the meat, onions and mushrooms will pay off in making a much tastier dish.

The butter and flour mixture is referred to as a beurre manié, or kneaded butter. The butter helps to keep the flour from clumping, and adds richness to the dish.  If you prefer not to use butter, you can make a slurry of the flour with 1/4 of water and use that to thicken the liquid.  As with the recipe above, use about half and see how thick the gravy gets before adding more.

Beef en Daube can be made a day or two ahead and reheated gently before serving.