Beef Burgundy with Baguette Dumplings Recipe
Beef Burgundy with Baguette Dumplings Recipe
It is so FREAKING cold right now in Melbourne. This has to be one of the longest, coldest, wettest, windiest winters in the history of the world. Or at least, it feels like it. I’m living in my Ugg boots at the moment and don’t give a damn what anyone thinks when I venture out to the supermarket in them. Actually I’m seeing lots of people wear theirs and anyone else who’s looking is probably jealous as they strut around in their uncomfortable (and cold) heels. Last night not only was it freezing cold but we had thunder, lightening and hail. In winter. I can’t ever remember a thunder storm in winter. I thought thunder and lightening was created when cool air met hot or something. I didn’t really pay much attention in my meteorology class. Anyway, with winter comes the need for warm, comforting food. And this Beef Burgundy with Baguette Dumplings totally fits the bill.
I watched Rachel Khoo make this; Rachel has her own cooking show called The Little Paris Kitchen and she has the teensiest little flat with a two-burner stove which she lights with a match and she shops fresh everyday because she only has a bar fridge but she whips up magnificent French fare daily and serves it to just two customers a night. Apparently she is booked out for months in advance.
The beef is melt in your mouth tender, FULL of flavour and the dumplings are absolutely to die for. You really need to use stale bread for these, or you will have to add a lot of extra flour and they will take longer to cook. If your bread is super fresh, slice it up and chuck it in the oven for a bit to dry it out.
Ingredients
900g stewing beef cut into 6 large chunks (I used gravy beef)
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
150g chopped bacon pieces
10 button onions (or shallots), peeled
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
a bunch of parsley stalks
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
3 cloves
10 peppercorns, crushed
500ml red wine
300ml water
1 tbsp tomato paste
pinch of sugar
10 chestnut mushrooms
chopped parsley, to garnish
For the Dumplings:
200g stale baguette or other bread (crust included)
250ml milk
a pinch of nutmeg
salt & pepper
a handful of chopped parsley
1 egg
1-2 tbsp flour
a knob of butter, for frying
Preheat the oven to 150C. Dust each piece of meat with flour. Heat the oil in a large casserole over a high heat and fry the meat in batches until browned (I did this separately in a frypan as my casserole isn’t non-stick). Remove each batch, then fry the bacon, onions, garlic, herbs and spices in the same pan until golden brown.
Return the meat to the pan and add the wine, water, tomato paste and sugar. Scrape up the caramelized bits – they will add flavour.
Cover, place in the oven and cook for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and almost falling apart.
Cut the baguette into small cubes and place in a bowl. Bring the milk to a boil and pour over. Stir so that the milk is absorbed evenly, then cover and leave for 15 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, stir in the chopped parsley and egg, and mix in 1 tablespoon flour. If the mix is too wet (it should be moist and only slightly sticky), add a second spoon of flour. wet your hands a little to help stop the dough sticking to them, then make 12-14 dumplings (smaller than a golf ball).
About 20 minutes before the stew is ready, add the mushrooms and season with salt to taste. Heat a knob of butter in a large frying pan and fry the dumplings on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, then drain.
Garnish the stew with parsley and serve with the dumplings.
Ingredients
- 900g stewing beef cut into 6 large chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 150g chopped bacon pieces
- 10 button onions (or shallots), peeled
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- a bunch of parsley stalks
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 3 cloves
- 10 peppercorns, crushed
- 500ml red wine
- 300ml water
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- pinch of sugar
- 10 chestnut mushrooms
- chopped parsley, to garnish
- For the Dumplings:
- 200g stale baguette or other bread (crust included)
- 250ml milk
- a pinch of nutmeg
- salt & pepper
- a handful of chopped parsley
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tbsp flour
- a knob of butter, for frying
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150C. Dust each piece of meat with flour. Heat the oil in a large casserole over a high heat and fry the meat in batches until browned (I did this separately in a frypan as my casserole isn't non-stick). Remove each batch, then fry the bacon, onions, garlic, herbs and spices in the same pan until golden brown.
- Return the meat to the pan and add the wine, water, tomato paste and sugar. Scrape up the caramelized bits - they will add flavour.
- Cover, place in the oven and cook for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and almost falling apart.
- Cut the baguette into small cubes and place in a bowl. Bring the milk to a boil and pour over. Stir so that the milk is absorbed evenly, then cover and leave for 15 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, stir in the chopped parsley and egg, and mix in 1 tablespoon flour. If the mix is too wet (it should be moist and only slightly sticky), add a second spoon of flour. wet your hands a little to help stop the dough sticking to them, then make 12-14 dumplings (smaller than a golf ball).
- About 20 minutes before the stew is ready, add the mushrooms and season with salt to taste. Heat a knob of butter in a large frying pan and fry the dumplings on a medium heat for 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, then drain.
- Garnish the stew with parsley and serve with the dumplings.
Carolyn Murphy
Carolyn Murphy is a married mother of three and regularly provides us with recipes and strange but true stories about her life. When she’s not here, she can also be found on her website pinkpostitnote.com where all her other recipes are located!
