When asked what he would like me to make to serve with his music, Jonas Carping replied that any recipe I chose would be fine, but that he is a sucker for Boeuf Bourguignon.

So Boeuf Bourguignon it is and who better to turn to but the Queen of the bourguignon, Julia Child.

This version is very similar to the recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon in Mastering The Art Of French Cooking. It comes from Julia’s collaborative cookbook with Jacques Pepin and has the same rich flavor redolent of red wine and slow cooked, perfectly seasoned stock. The colorful parsley dipped toasts are a terrific accompaniment.

Boeuf Bourguignon is perfect for entertaining as it makes a lot and can be made ahead of time and reheated just before serving. So pour some wine and put some Jonas Carping on the stereo. It’s a party waiting to happen.

Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients:

½ pound bacon or salt pork, cut into pieces measuring about ½-inch x one-inch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into small chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ cups peeled onions, chopped
1½ cups peeled carrots, chopped
1 head garlic, peeled, with the cloves crushed
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 – 2 cups beef stock
16 ounces frozen white pearl onions
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon butter
Beurre manié: 4 Tbs flour mixed with 4 Tbs softened butter
Chopped parsley, to garnish
Lion’s Tooth Croutons, to serve (recipe follows)
Buttered noodles or mashed potatoes, to serve

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300℉.

2. Simmer bacon in saucepan filled with water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

3. Heat large skillet on medium heat. Add vegetable oil and, when hot, add the bacon. Sauté for 5 minutes. Remove bacon and put it into a 5 quart Dutch oven or casserole. Set skillet and bacon drippings aside.

4. Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper.

5. Heat the skillet with the bacon drippings until hot, then cook the beef in batches. Do not crowd because the beef will steam rather than brown. Each batch will take at least 5 minutes. Remove browned beef and place it in the Dutch oven. Continue, adding more oil if necessary, until all the beef chunks are browned.

6. When all of the meat is browned, discard the oil. Add a cup of wine to the skillet and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown crusty bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour into the Dutch oven.

7. Add the rest of the wine, the garlic, tomatoes, thyme, onions and carrots to the Dutch oven. Add just enough beef stock to barely cover the top of the meat. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven for two hours. The meat is done when a fork can easily pierce it.

8. When the meat is done, remove it from the Dutch oven and set aside.

9. Place a strainer over a large bowl, and pour the contents of the Dutch oven into it. Discard the vegetables.

10. Pour the strained beef stock into the Dutch oven and add the meat.

To make ahead: Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.

11. Warm the beef stew on low heat.

12. Place pearl onions in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook on high for 8 minutes.

13. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and, when it shimmers, add the pearl onions. Sauté until they brown, about 10 minutes. Add the onions to the Dutch oven.

14. Return the skillet to the heat then add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When hot, add the mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until browned then add to the Dutch oven.

15. At this point you can thicken the Boeuf Bourguignon with some beurre manié if you like. Add the flour/butter mixture in small amounts and stir until the desired consistency. You may not need to use all of the beurre manié.

16. Ladle servings of Boeuf Bourguignon over buttered noodles. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and arrange 2 croutons on every serving plate.

Serves 8

Lion’s Tooth Croutons

Ingredients:

6 slices home-style white bread, crusts removed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400℉.

2. Slice each piece of bread on the diagonal into triangular pieces. To shape each crouton, cut a small wedge in the non-pointed side.

3. Spread the butter with your fingers in the center of a cookie sheet. Press each wedge into the butter and rub gently to coat on one side, then turn it over, buttered side up. Arrange all the wedges on the buttered area of the sheet and place in the oven.

4. Toast the croutons for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden and crisp.

5. To serve, pile the fresh parsley in a small mound. Dip the point of the toasted bread into the beef sauce, then press the moistened end into the parsley to coat.

Makes 12 croutons

Recipes from Julia And Jacques Cooking At Home

“The Last Approval” is the first single from Jonas Carping’s second album ‘Cocktails & Gasoline’ due for release this month. Like all of his previous songs, it is a compelling bit of alt-country that seems so much more Austin than Sweden. Jonas’ beautiful, distinctive, smooth voice singing his gorgeous lyrics makes every tune feel like something special.

“Someone buried their lives in here,
all their wrong doings,
their love and their tears
Did you really think we wouldn’t care
the soil it is rotten in here,
You brought with you every single thing we fear”

Check out Jonas Carping on his Website where you can buy the music.

Cheers!