Estouffade Provencale
Description
For decades, this has been the Monday special at La Mere Besson, a traditional family bistro in the sunny Cannes. Simply combine all the ingredients one day, cook them the next, let them ripen one more day, spoon off any unwanted fat that rises to the surface, reheat, and eat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb stewing beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1 celery rib, minced
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & ground pepper
- 1/2 bottle or 1.5 cups red wine, preferably Provencal (or stock, if red wine is not an option)
- 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 strip orange zest, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Two days before serving the stew, combine all of the ingredients, except the orange zest, in a large enameled casserole. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- 2. The next day, bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat. Simmer gently, until the meat is very tender, around 1-2 hours.
- 3. Allow the stew to cool down. Refrigerate until the fat rises to the top and can be easily scraped off with a small spoon, about 12 hours.
- 4. At serving time, scrape off any additional fat. Reheat until the meat is heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. To serve, remove the bay leaves and thyme; stir in the orange zest
Notes
- If you forget to combine all the ingredients overnight, it’s okay! Just throw everything in the pot and cook. The result may be slightly less flavorful, but still absolutely delicious!
- Not Included in Large Real Food Boxes: Cooking Red Wine, Salt & Pepper