NOT JULIA’S BEEF STEW

Speaking of Julia, (see previous blog, where I humbly confess my sins to the Patron Saint of home cooking), Mike and I went to see “Julie & Julia”, and I have to say that the poor actress, Amy Something, that played Julie had a tough slog.  The character of Julie came across as a whiney whiner and every time she was in a scene, I wanted to shout, “PLEASE GET OUT OF THIS MOVIE!”  But, Meryl Streep was a revelation.  It was such fun watching her channel Julia Child that I thought she was actually a better “Julia” than Julia.

Mike and I met Julia Child, (the real one, not Meryl) in the early nineties at a King Arthur Flour function and I have to admit that she scared me.  For one thing, she was huge!  I’m five feet nothin’ and she towered over me.  I felt like I was in kindergarten and she was the Principal.  She was eighty years old and still very much in command of any room she was in.  She also said whatever popped into her head.  Mike and I drove her to…well, I don’t actually remember to what…and she explained that anyone under eight or over eighty could say whatever they pleased!  So she did.  When Mike asked her why some points were so difficult to get across at a cooking demonstration, she stated that it was because “some people are abysmally stupid”.  Okey dokey then!

We are also the proud owners of a signed copy of “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”, a real gen-u-wine photo of Julia and Mike and a mug that I had made up with Mike and Julia’s picture and signed “Michael, thank you for all your help, love Julia” that is soooo fake.  [Michael – It was a lot of fun to flaunt and it used to drive some of my uptight, former co-workers crazy.  It was so worth it.]

When we got home from the movie, I immediately got out Julia’s cookbook to decide what to cook first and discovered I didn’t use her cookbook very often because ….I can hardly say this out loud….I don’t like it!  OMG, I feel like a French gendarme is going to arrest me for, oh, I don’t know, blasphemy or something, but I felt exhausted just reading the recipes.

So, in order to exhibit my vast inferiority to Julia and forever ruin my reputation as a great cook, - O.K., I don’t actually have a reputation as a great cook – I now present my pathetic version of Boeuf Bourguignon.  I call it, um, beef stew.


Michael says:
After seeing the movie and looking at “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” I feel the urge to make Julia's version of Boeuf Bourguignon.  I know that it's silly but it fits into my compulsive nature.  On one of these (too soon to come) Maine winter days I'm doing it - especially if we have some fresh bread to go along with it,

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Not Julia's Beef Stew

I use Chuck for the stewing meat.  Chuck is perfect – he’s tasty – just a little tough.  But, with patience and a little heat, he goes all soft and tender.

2 lb. Chuck, cubed

1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt (or 2 teaspoons Kosher salt)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup carrot, chopped

1/2 cup leeks, chopped

1/2 cup fennel, chopped – optional but yummy

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 bay leaf

4 or 5 cups beef or chicken stock

1 teaspoon dried herbs, whatever you like (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)

1 cup wine, beer –whatever you’re having

3 o 4 carrots, peeled and sliced

3 or 4 small potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 parsnip or turnip, optional

1 Tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

Mix flour, salt and pepper together and put on a plate or in a shaker.  Dredge Chuck in flour mix – don’t worry, he likes it.  Brown Chuck on all sides in olive oil – don’t crowd or Chuck gets all gray and wet.  Remove meat and add a leetle more oil if needed and cook chopped onion, carrots, leeks, celery and fennel, if using, until somewhat softened, about 5 minutes.  Add liquids and herbs and bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.  Add sliced carrots, potato, etc., re-cover and simmer an additional 30 minutes until veggies are tender.  Top with chopped parsley and serve.

Note:  I have huge burners on my stove and it’s hard to maintain a simmer, so I usually bring my stew to a simmer, cover it and put it in the oven at 350º F for the same cooking time.

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For a printer friendly copy of our Beef Stew go to our web site at http://www.stoneturtlebaking.com/webdocs/recipes.htm .