The CookingBites Cookalong: Boeuf Bourguignon or Mushroom Bourguignon

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Morning Glory

Morning Glory

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Photo by The Domestic Man https://thedomesticman.com/2017/04/18/boeuf-bourguignon/

Have you ever made Boeuf Bourguignon or perhaps Mushroom Bourguignon? If not, then now is your chance to try! If you have cooked a Bourguignon before, you can share your wisdom and cook along too. The idea of the Cookalong is that members cook a classic recipe within a certain timescale and share their experience. Its a bit of fun and a chance to learn. Please join in!

This well-known dish has its roots in the Burgundy region in France. The most common given history for the dish is that it was a peasant dish that was raised to a higher level by professional chefs. Auguste Escoffier is often quoted as the chef that modernised and published the recipe in "Le Guide Culinaire" (1903). It was followed by dozens of similar recipes published by various authors in the next decade. His recipe uses a single piece of beef rather than the cubes of beef which are more often used nowadays.

There is an interesting article here which compares various Chef’s recipes and includes a final tested recipe. I will post a recipe for Mushroom Bourguignon below - from a trusted source: Nigel Slater.

Please add your comments, photos, experiences to this thread. Provisional closing date midnight Tuesday 10th October (BST (UCT/GMT+1). Please let us know if you intend to join in.

Deadline now extended to midnight 17th Oct. BST
 
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Nigel Slater's Mushroom Bourguignon (serves 4)

For the marinade:
brown chestnut mushrooms 250g
king oysters mushrooms 250g
button mushrooms 250g
coriander seeds 1 tsp
black peppercorns 2 tsp
bay leaves 3
thyme 6 sprigs
rosemary 2 sprigs
burgundy pinot noir

onions 2
olive oil
garlic cloves 3
small carrots 2
shallots 8 small ones
tomato purée 2 tsp
plain flour 2 tbsp
red wine 250ml
vegetable stock 250ml
sugar a pinch or two (optional)
balsamic vinegar 1 tsp

  1. Slice the largest, thick-stemmed mushrooms into pieces the thickness of a pound coin, then put them in a large mixing bowl. Quarter the chestnut mushrooms, and add them with the whole button mushrooms to the bowl.
  2. Crack the coriander seeds and peppercorns using a pestle and mortar, or grind them coarsely in a spice mill. Tuck the bay leaves, thyme sprigs and rosemary among the mushrooms and add the ground coriander seeds. Pour the red wine over the mushrooms, cover with a lid or clingfilm, then leave for an hour to marinate.
  3. Peel the onions, cut them in half, then slice each half into six segments. Put a couple of tablespoons of the olive oil into a deep, heavy-based casserole then add the onions and let them cook over a moderate heat, stirring from time to time, until they are soft and golden (15-20 minutes).
  4. Peel and thinly slice the garlic then stir into the onions. Scrub the carrots, cut them into small dice, then stir into the softening onions and garlic. Peel the shallots, leave them whole and add them to the onions
  5. Stir the tomato purée into the onions and leave to cook, with the occasional stir, for 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the bowl and let them cook with the onions. The mixture should be gold and brown.
  6. Scatter the flour over the surface and stir in, let it cook for a couple of minutes then pour in the red wine and stock, mix well but gently (don’t break up the mushrooms) then bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper and leave to simmer gently for about 20 minutes till all is dark, rich and woodsy. Use a pinch or two of sugar and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar to correct the seasoning.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/14/vegetarian-christmas-dinner-nigel-slater
 
I have put chestnut mushrooms in a marinade with thyme, garlic and Tesco red burgundy, not cheap at £8 per bottle but use only half the bottle. I am leaving them overnight and cooking tomorrow.
 
@alexander

Sounds like you are ready to go.

Before I start cooking I have to upgrade my stupid phone to a smart phone so I can take pictures. Soon.

I am also trying to find sources for my ingredients other than the supermarket.

I would love to make a Demi Glaze but I really do not have the energy to invest in such a production.

I have been gathering recipes, taking bits and pieces from each then adding notes of my own ideas. My brain is ticking away. I have a basic idea of what I want to do but have not yet finalized my recipe.

I am really excited about participating in this challenge.
 
I love these recipe challenges, not least the research into the history of the dish. Whilst @morning glory is quite correct on the Escoffier version, there was an alternative published the same year in America by Adolphe Meyer, who started by boiling up cubed beef and salt pork before browning it. Predating both versions, and the earliest recorded was one by Joseph Favre in 1894. His version starts by sautéing pieces of beef in butter, the lardons being used later to sauté the onions. There don't appear to be any references to the dish actually originating from the Burgundy region, raising the question if whether it was a creation of the C19th Parisien scene that was later adopted as a regional dish, rather than the other way round. I am available for a research trip to Burgundy to find out if anyone would care to fund it :happy:
 
ElizabethB said:
I have to upgrade my stupid phone to a smart phone so I can take pictures
Click to expand...
Oh that's great. I'm off topic - Its really worth checking out the best quality phone camera you can afford - I use a Samsung Galaxy S7 (expensive to buy outright but it really does have one of the two best phone cameras on the market). The S6 is cheaper and is also good. Of course there is now the S8 which is even more expensive. The other 'best camera phone' is the Google Pixel XL. The i-phone 7 is also good but again, expensive. Here is a useful website: http://www.techradar.com/news/best-camera-phone/2
 
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