Pot au Feu
Comments from the author:
“This article has been dragged, kicking and screaming, from the old BretonDiary.”
I cook two different types of Pot au Feu. Neither are classic recipes - they just happen to work for me!
This is my recipe for the beef version.
I start off with a kilo of Plat Cotes de Boeuf. These are, bascially, the ribs underneath the shoulder of a cow (or, more likely, a steer). I find that it is ideal in terms of quantity of fat, beef and bone - you need all three. It is, also, very cheap over here.
Two years ago, I invested in a cast iron Staub crockpot. It's worth every centime that it cost me (loads of centimes). It's as heavy as hell, indestructible and will outlast me (although I'm having such a good time here, I'm planning to live for at least another 100 years!)
I chop my veg (carrots, swedes and onions) rather coarsley. I dump them in the pot and then add the meat. I put in a half a bottle of cheap red wine and the same amount of water. I add lots of pepper and salt and then an entire head of garlic, peeled but not chopped up. If I've got any Thyme, I'll add that as well.
I may add some tomatoes and dried haricots beans - they're not necessary but they do help!
This gets cooked slowly for about 4 hours, maybe a lot more. I then let it rest until the next day. I skim off any fat that has congealed on the top and then re-heat it. One hour later - it is ready to eat.
I'll get another good meal out of it the following day and then, what's left in the pot gets put in the fridge and then eaten the following day as broth.
The first time that I eat it (i.e. the second day), I'll boil some potatoes to go with it. The next day, any remaining potatoes go into the pot and I bake some bread (pre-cuit baguettes) to soak up the juice.
This seems such a comfort food. I feel so good after eating it. It's that season - the season for treating yourself, the season for feeling good!
This seems to be the sort of dish where it doesn't pay to pay too much. the best ingredients are those that are in season (and thus, are cheap). Don't use Filet Steak - that would be a waste - you need some fat (for flavour), some bone (once again, for flavour) - time does the rest.
