Le Backeoffe Recipes

BAECKEOFFE

Steps:

• The day before:Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and put them in large nonreactive container with the pig's feet.Toss with the salt, pepper, herbs, garlic, celery leaves, and parsley. Moisten with the wine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.Assembling and cooking: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Select a large ovenproof casserole with a lid. Grease the bottom and sides with the butter lard. Lay the pig's feet on the bottom and cover with half the potatoes, onions, leeks, and carrots. Remove the meat from the marinade and add, covering it with the remaining vegetables, ending with the potatoes. Strain the marinade through a sieve and pour the liquid over the contents of the pot. If necessary, add some extra wine or water to bring the liquid barely to the top of the vegetables.Work the sealing paste ingredients into a dough and roll this out into a rope long enough to wrap around the casserole. Press it firmly against the join between the lid and the casserole. Put the sealed pot intro the oven and cook for 1 hour. At this point, reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue cooking for 1 1/2 hours more.For the most dramatic presentation, bring the casserole to the table, set it on a trivet, and break away the seal with the edge of a table knife. Otherwise, of course, this can be done in the kitchen and servings of the baeckeoffe brought to the table in shallow bowls. Serve with green salad, a loaf of crusty bread, and some of the same white wine used for making the marinade.

LE BACKEOFFE

Steps:

• Using a piece of kitchen twine, tie together the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf into a bundle.
• In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the onions, pork, beef, lamb, carrots, ham hocks, garlic, and herb bundle. Pour in the wine, stir to combine, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Butter the inside of the baking dish. Strain then separate the meat and vegetables; reserve the wine.
• In the baking dish, layer half of the vegetables, potatoes, leeks and all the meat, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper, to taste. Repeat with the remaining vegetables, potatoes, and leeks. Pour over the reserved wine from marinade. Dot the top with the 6 tablespoons of butter.
• Cover the baking dish with the lid. Roll the bread dough, if using, into a rope the circumference of the baking dish. Press the dough rope around the edge of the lid, pressing it slightly to seal. Brush the bread with some of the beaten egg. Bake for 2 1/2 hours.
• Remove the bread, uncover, and serve immediately.

BAECKEOFFE / LAUNDRY DAY STEW OF BEEF, PORK, AND LAMB

Steps:

• In a large bowl or very large plastic bag with a secure seal, mix together the onions, leeks, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, juniper berries, thyme, parsley, wine, beef, pork, lamb, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Mix well, seal, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Mix the meats and marinade occasionally; if they are in a bag, just turn it over once or twice.
• When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°. Smear the olive oil all over the bottom of a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven.
• Peel the potatoes if you like; using a mandoline, slice them thinly and season well with salt and pepper. Do not wash the potatoes after slicing. The potato starch thickens the broth. Cover the bottom of the pot with half of them. Strain the solids and meat from the marinade, reserving both separately. Spread the meats and vegetables on top of the potatoes and then top with the remaining potatoes. Carefully pour the reserved marinade over the potatoes. If the liquid does not cover the top of the potatoes, add more wine or water until they are just covered.
• Cover the pot and bring the stew to a gentle simmer on top of the stove. Place the pot in the oven and bake until the meats are very tender, about 3 1/2 hours. Serve, directly from the casserole, in warm, generously sized soup plates.