Beef A La Mode Recipes

BOEUF à LA MODE

Steps:

• A day before cooking, salt the roast very well with kosher salt, at least twice as well as you feel comfortable doing. Season with the other spices, trying to distribute them more or less evenly. Use the full teaspoon of nutmeg if you like the flavor of nutmeg, the half if you are skeptical. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring the roast to room temperature before cooking. Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a heavy casserole, brown the roast on all sides in hot olive oil over medium heat. It should take about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove roast to a plate. Deglaze the pan with the onion, carrot, celery and tomato paste, and stir well, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and the wine and cognac. Cook over high heat, boiling until reduced by half. Add the roast, pig's foot, bouquet garni, bay leaves, mushrooms and enough beef stock to cover roast about halfway up. Cook in oven, covered, 3 to 4 hours, until totally tender.
• If you are serving the following day, allow to cool overnight in its broth in the refrigerator. Then remove the fat that has settled on top, remove the roast, warm all the braising juices, the pig's foot and the vegetables, and then strain it through a fine sieve, so that only the glossy broth remains. If you are serving it the day you cook it, remove the finished roast, strain the broth and then skim the fat the best you can from its surface with a ladle.
• Taste the broth. If it tastes too acidic - as it may or may not, depending on your taste and on the wine used - add up to another cup or 2 of beef broth. The foot will have given it enough body to withstand being thinned. Do any other adjusting of seasoning you like. Remove the twine from the roast, and return it to its broth until ready to reheat and serve.
• Then reheat the boeuf in its flavorful sauce, remove to a cutting board and cut into thick slices, pouring sauce over all of them, and serving more at the table. Serves 6, heartily.
• I like this best with a big handful of gremolata, the Italian condiment, on top. It is not at all French, and not at all how this is traditionally served. But it is very delicious. To make it, combine the chopped parsley, finely chopped lemon zest and finely chopped garlic in a bowl, and add a very small pinch of coarse salt.

BEEF A LA MODE

Steps:

• In ceramic bowl, soak bacon slices in 1/2 cup of brandy for 30 minutes. Place roast in large, heavy oven-proof pot and rub with the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cover roast with brandied bacon and tie with butcher's twine to secure. Add red wine and remaining brandy to pot. Place a plate over meat and weight it lightly to keep roast completely submerged. Refrigerate for four hours.
• Preheat oven to 220 degrees.
• Remove roast from refrigerator and place in oven. Braise, covered, for 2 hours. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and saute until lightly brown. Add carrots and saute for 5 more minutes. Using a slotted spoon, add carrots and onions to roast and continue braising for 40 more minutes, until meat registers 140 degrees on a meat thermometer. Serve on a platter, surrounded by vegetables, with potatoes on side.

BEEF 'A LA MODE

Steps:

• Season meat with salt and pepper.
• Put in bowl and pour wine over top.
• Let stand in refrigerator for 5 to 6 hours.
• Remove meat from wine and pat dry; discard the wine marinade.
• Sprinkle flour on meat and brown on both sides in the cooking oil.
• Remove meat and pour off fat.
• Add meat back into pan with all remaining ingredients.
• Bring back to a low boil and then turn to simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until veggies are tender.