FLOWER POT KITCHEN: VALENTINES BOEUF BOURGUIGNON AND DAUPHINOIS POTATOES

18 Feb 2013

VALENTINES BOEUF BOURGUIGNON AND DAUPHINOIS POTATOES

BEAUTIFUL SLOW COOKED BEEF IN RED WINE FOR MY VALENTINE

INGREDIENTS

(serves 4)

MARINADE

1kg chuck steak diced

1 bottle claret

1 clove garlic sliced

2 marrow bones (optional)

2 large cloves of garlic skin on

3 shallots finely chopped and softened

BOUQUET GARNI

3 fresh bay leaves

small bunch of fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh oregano

8 stalks of fresh parsley

BROWNING OFF THE CHUCK STEAK

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp butter

30ml oil

FINISHING FLAVOURS

1 shallot fine diced

6 small baby onions peeled whole

6 rashers sweetcure bacon fine chopped

MARINATE THE CHUCK STEAK IN CLARET AND HERBS OVERNIGHT

This really does make all the difference and it really is only a hint of effort that then rewards you with great depth of flavour. Gently soften the chopped shallots and chopped garlic, place in your braising tin or bowl, add the beef, bouquet garni, marrow bones, whole cloves of garlic, and red wine then cover with cling film and settle in the fridge overnight or all day.

BROWNING OFF THE BEEF

Take the marinated beef and pour off the red wine through a sieve, pat dry the beef on kitchen paper and reserve the rest of the ingredients with the wine in your braising tin ready and waiting for the sealed beef. Heat the butter and oil in a pan and sear the beef until caramelised on all sides,sprinkle with the flour and cook out then remove and place in your braising tin, take a little of the stock red wine and de-glaze your pan and add back to the tin. Then to add the next layer of flavour pan fry the shallot, sweetcure bacon and whole onions gently for 5 minutes and add to the braising tin. Place in your pre-heated oven 150 degrees for 4 hours to cook slowly and mature, this will ensure a gorgeous beef bourguignon dish with all the old fashioned flavours of simple ingredients.

FOR THE DAUPHINOIS POTATOES

8 King Edward potatoes super finely sliced

2 cloves of garic grated

1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

150g Parmesan cheese finely grated

300ml double cream

100ml milk

Salt and Black pepper

Use a mandolin or finely slice your potatoes waffer thin, then in a deep dish layer the pototoes on the botton and sprinkle over a little Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, grated nutmeg and grated garlic, repeat this process all they way to to last layer where I like to make sure there is a little extra Parmesan cheese to finsih off the top layer that will brown off and have that cripsy cheesey finish, then mix the cream and milk together and pour over the whole dish and bake in the oven 180 degrees for 1 hour, cover with foil after 45 minutes only if the top is browning off to much.

MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND'S VALENTINE DINNER

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LIFE MY PASSION

Welcome to my daily life of cooking, one winters day many years ago my family and I were all inspired by a back to back rainy day of River Cottage this got us to stop talking about and start actually doing, suddenly three weeks later eight vegetable beds were dug, greenhouse erected and our first vegetables were propagating, this was the start to raising and growing our own food, our fabulous son Oscar changed our path in life which lead us to sell our small thriving restaurant of 10 yrs and to start our new life (Terrifying!) a life of the self sufficient in touch with nature and seasons, taking a step back and looking forward to a slower change of pace and making the most of every moment.

My passion for cooking was stronger than ever and having time at home with Oscar I found I had a new direction and I was no longer striving for perfection, I was suddenly very passionate for the enjoyment of the other side of food, something I had not realised, being the Chef/Cook and every other duty of your own small restaurant made me see that I never actually took time to cook what I wanted!

So there I was muddy boots and hands digging deep in more than one sense and I found myself transported back in time to where everyone grew some of their own food, it is a wonderful world with a real sense of achievement and loss, Slugs Snails and Caterpillars! But thats another story! Childhood memories of summers when I lived with my grand parents reminded me of so much that I had learnt about the make do and mend generation that I had forgotten.

Now as a family we love our free wild food days where we gather what nature has provided, have gone from being mini mini garden urban small holders, who did raised pigs at home because we could not wait to find land and supporting ourselves from our garden to now owning a very small farm that allows us to grow more vegetables for the whole of our family and neighbours, raise our own gorgeous Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, (Sausages!) and pets! Dorset Down sheep, chickens for eggs and pet goats! Suddenly having large quantities of produce started to wake up the Cook in me!

The Cook was awake that part of me that wants to cook for the masses and I found myself setting up Flowerpot Kitchen, a Farmers Market Stall, I wanted to use our honest raised meats and make old fashioned pork pies, rabbit pies and game pies from the local game keeper along with old fashioned techniques and the best hot water crust pastry. This in turn grew to a small cottage industry from home weekly supplying three farm shops and a deli along with also attending three farmers markets A few years later there came a time when my son Oscar's health changed and it was an easy decision to stop.

I still hold the occasional pop up 40 seater restaurant or gourmet lunch which we do for local charities for the love of sharing food and to remind that Cook in me why I love our go slower self sufficient life!

So here I am sitting amoung the vegetables watching the chickens loving that every season nature teaches me something new and that nature is in charge! She has taught me to just go with it and grow. Give it a try from a tray of salad on your windowsill to a few tomato plants it all counts.