Beef Bourguignon

This week the little guy had his athletics carnival.  While the event is a whole lot more than just a lovely day outside of the classroom, and while Alfie is very enthusiastic about it, the events on offer are not his most suited.  The athletics carnival is for sprinters and my little guy is at his best when distance is involved.  The longer the race, the better his chances.

Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon

Alfie competed in every race and did very well.  His best event was the 800mtrs where he finished first and will go forward to the next stage of the competition.

Running in the 800mtrs

Running in the 800mtrs

Like a good mother I was sitting on the sidelines cheering him on and after five hours of sitting on a cold concrete step I was quite relieved when the last event of the day, the relay, was underway.  I needed to go to the bathroom, I was thirsty, and I had a few projects needing my attention on the home front as well.

Coming in for the finish

Coming in for the finish

But just as the little guy was handed the baton and he sprinted the last leg of the relay, they announced over the loud-speaker that there was time for a parents-versus-teachers relay race.  They couldn’t be serious.

Cooked in red wine and stock

Cooked in red wine and stock

And the little guy, still full of beans, came running up to me saying, ‘Mum, you have to do this, hurry, they need you in the race, didn’t you hear?  And I’ll get points for my house’.

Lots of mushrooms and onions

Lots of mushrooms and onions

Out of the crowd of parents, there were just four of us pushed forward into the limelight; Rowena the professional runner who goes in marathons for fun, a token bloke, me, and my GP who I didn’t know had any children at the school and who had just done a breast exam on me a few days before.  ‘Lovely to see you’, is what I said to her (and grateful this time to be fully clothed).

Serve with mash and greens

Serve with mash and greens

We eyed off our competition and there was certainly an age discrepancy that wasn’t in our favour.  There was also some gender bias as they had three blokes to our single token bloke.  They were also slightly better prepared with tracksuits and jogging shoes and we were in jeans and had just one pair of sneakers between us.  Never mind, we took our positions around the oval full of enthusiasm.

A classic French dish

A classic French dish

Because we had a strategy; Rowena the champion/professional was to get us off to a flying start and set us up for a win, the GP was next and the aim was to try and hang on to our anticipated lead, the token bloke was to pick up the pace and then hand me the baton while I sprinted off at top speed to bring us home for a win.  Easy.

Once in the oven, it will look after itself

Once in the oven, it will look after itself

All went to plan and I was handed the baton with a slight lead.  I rounded the bend and had the finish line in sight when a 25-year old male teacher with 110% fitness and a love of sprinting flew past me and raced through the finish line.  Robbed!

Coming in to the finish but the race has already been won.

Coming in to the finish but the race has already been won.

I congratulated him by saying, ‘Next year we’ll be tying your legs together’.

A very warming dish

A very warming dish

Anyway, we did our best and there’s no shame in coming second.

Let’s get back to the kitchen.  Last weekend we had a dinner party and as I’d made the decision that we’d eat outside on our verandah, I thought we’d need a warming dish.

I cooked beef bourguignon and served it with mash and green beans sprinkled with toasted pine nuts.    What’s good about this dish is that it uses an inexpensive cut of meat so is affordable, once it’s in the oven it looks after itself, and it can be made in advance and re-heated just before serving.

Almost too good to be true.

Good for a dinner party

Good for a dinner party

5.0 from 5 reviews
Beef Bourguignon
Author: 
Recipe type: Main course
Cuisine: French
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
A hearty and warming dish full of beef, red wine, onions and mushrooms.
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1kg (1lb) chuck steak, cubed
  • 300g speck, cut into batons
  • 2 leeks, washed and sliced into 1cm rounds
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 16 French eschallots, peeled
  • 500g swiss brown mushrooms
  • chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 180C (375F)
  2. Heat oil in a large casserole dish over high heat.
  3. Brown meat in batches.
  4. Reduce heat to medium and add speck and leeks. Cook until the leeks have softened then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Return beef to dish and add red wine. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 1 minute.
  6. Add beef stock and tomato paste and stir to combine.
  7. Place a lid on the casserole dish and put in the oven for 1 hr.
  8. Remove from the oven and add onions and mushrooms. Return to the oven and cook for another 45 minutes or until beef is tender. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
  9. Serve with mashed potato and green beans if desired.
Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon

Comments

  1. I have that very same Le Crueset pot, one of my fav’s but it’s a bear to lift when it’s full—I always have call in reinforcements! JT is the Bœuff Bourguignon I our house, he always makes Julia Child’s version and it’s so darn good! I was never much of a stew lover, but I can tell you I love that dish. Yours looks gorgeous too.
    It’s a good thing you wore sensible shoes and were able to do the race, I wouldn’t have been so lucky 😉 congrats!

  2. Bahahaha! What a delight *running into the GP just days after an exam on your intimates. Too funny. 🙂 And second is pretty great I reckon. Delicious pot of Bourguignon. Might make some for the freezer this weekend. Speaking of…. Have a fab weekend. xo

  3. This looks hearty and just what you need for a winters night. Good on u for coming second!

  4. In fairness to you parents, you had no time to warm up, practice as a team, have proper gear to change into… well done on taking part Charlie.
    You can’t beat a good beef bourguignon to warm you up.
    Have an awesome weekend. Pete and I are off to Kenya for a week. Will hopefully get a few shots to share.
    🙂 Mandy xo

  5. I suppose you should be grateful the GP hadn’t just done a Pap smear on you. 😉
    I get tired out just reading about these energetic events you attend – and well done you for running!

  6. I don’t miss those days when the kids were at school lol. Have an awesome weekend 🙂

  7. What a great sport you are! I don’t know that I would have gotten out there. Sounds like despite the unfair advantage of the teacher team, you guys hung in there. And five hours on a concrete step? My back hurts just thinking of it. Your beef looks fantastic! I’ve not had this dish before, but it looks great for a warming winter or fall meal. Making a note of it!

  8. I’d say a second place finish is pretty darned good.

  9. You’re such a good sport Charlie and taking second is awesome! This dish looks similar to one my mom used to make, but I never replicated it! Now I’m craving your Beef Bourguignon and must make this!

  10. I Will make this lovely beef dish this Wintertime. It looks just stunning.
    MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMLMLMMMLL. Xxx 😉

  11. Those fit young men … what’s a mother to do? And tripping them is unsportsman-like behaviour, I hear. 🙂 Congratulations on your 2nd place. After 5 hrs on a cold bench, I’m
    sure your muscles had all stiffened up … no chance to stretch or warm up either.

    What a lovely cold weather dish. It’s been in the 90’s and humid in south-western Ontario for the past week or so. Even with the A/C on, I really don’t feel like doing much except warming things from the freezer in the microwave for meals.

  12. “Jeans and only one pair of sneakers” – turned out not to be such a disadvantage. Sounds like your team did pretty good in spite of it and the husky athlete there at the end. You beef bourguignon looks like a fabulous dish for you all to come home to. Nice and hearty for all those runners.

  13. What a delicious looking stew Charlie. And good for you for going in it! 😀

  14. You looked great out there Charlie. It is true that we had the surprise sprinter on our teacher’s team who We now call ‘Rockets’. What a great day it was.

  15. I do love your knack for story telling Charlie; I chuckled through this and whilst seeing one’s GP in those circumstances is always a tad awkward, it sounds like you made an impressive team and made the teachers work hard for their win. I love the photo of you running too – professional style!

  16. Good on you Charlie. Plenty of parents wouldn’t bother racing at all. I’d say that athleticism runs (*ahem) in the family 🙂

  17. Well done! Great action photo – all your swimming and running and training is certainly paying off. Blooming 25 year olds! Good on you for going for the house points – though I think it is a bit unfair that kids are penalised and don’t get points if their parents aren’t fit and present!

  18. Perfect dish for your busy life Charlie. Glad it was you that had to run not me. Still you are always up for a challenge

  19. We’re in Denver and despite the 95 degree temp on the thermometer, your beef bourguignon looks fantastic and I would be happy to eat a plateful! And congrats on second place—though you get first place for bravery!!! xoxo

  20. I love it how our kids volunteer us. My own mother always said she raised three little hand raisers as we were so quick to say, “My Mom will!” But in its own way, that is a tribute to her as Alfie’s volunteering you is to you. Nice. The beef bourguignon makes me long for cold weather. A favorite dish and this looks like a nice, straight-forward version. Will earmark it.

  21. It’s really cold here today so this would be perfect to warm our tummies … looks delicious!

  22. Coming in second is very impressive, I think! I just love that you and Alfie can share in these competitions. I may not be quite in the mood for cooking this wonderful dish right now–it’s blazing hot right now, but when we shift to fall, I’ll be ready to enjoy! It would be delicious, I’m sure. 🙂

  23. Wow impressive! Not only waiting in cold weather for many hours (hats off!) but you also joined the race! I knew this but you are a super mom! And this beef bourguignon! WOW. Impressive, Charlie! So thoughtful to think of something warm to eat outside. I’d be happy enjoying this outdoor. 🙂

  24. What a great story and love your recipe and can almost smell your beef bourguignon from here Charlie! I love making this on a cold wintry day!

  25. Haven’t made Beef Bourguignon for ages – this looks so good, warming and comforting – Charlie – thanks for the reminder.

  26. This bourguignon looks delicious! Probably better to run into your GP at the race then have her show up to eat from this pot of yum.

  27. Yum. I haven’t had beef bourguignon in ages. I will be making this once the weather cools off. You guys are so game to go out there and run a relay. Congrats on second place.

  28. Yum! Such a palatable dish! My family will love it!

Trackbacks

  1. […] This is a warming dessert that’s perfect to serve in winter and as well, it’s not too sweet or heavy so works well after a rich main course like I served on Saturday night, Beef Bourguignon. […]

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