I have somehow never even attempted Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon. I must have skipped over that week during JC100. This dish is easily adapted for a slow cooker because it is a stew recipe that takes quite a long time to cook. This Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon is a classic French comfort food, which cooks chunks of beef in a red wine-beef broth with garlic, onions, and carrots. The recipe I used is adapted from a new cookbook called The 163 Best Paleo Slow Cooker Recipes (100% Gluten-Free) by Judith Finlayson. I personally do not follow a Gluten-Free or Paleo diet (something that is probably glaringly apparent with my dairy and gluten filled posts) but have friends that do for various reasons. I wanted to learn more about Paleo and what exactly it entails so that I can hopefully post some Paleo friendly and Gluten-free recipes in the future. So what is Paleo? The general idea behind it is to eat like hunter-gatherers from the Paleolithic Age,or basically eat things in their natural state. So it is a protein-rich diet that limits carbs that are low in starch (fruits, veggies). Grains, legumes, refined sugars, and other processed foods are all not consumed on the Paelo diet. The diet also favors organic foods and meats that have been grass fed. Boeuf Bourguignon is honestly mostly Paelo to begin with. Only a few minimal changes have to be made (no traditional butter, sorry Julia). And instead of serving the stew with pasta, potatoes, or rice, the dish is just enjoyed as is. I kept to the recipe in the cookbook for the most part but did edit it ever so slightly to include the lovely mushrooms I picked up at the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival this weekend. I also substituted in Herbes de Provence because I couldn’t find my thyme anywhere. Ingredients (Serves 4):
1 tbsp clarified butter (Ghee) – make sure its organic and comes from grass fed cows (or olive oil to make dairy free)
4 slices uncured bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 lbs grass fed beef, cubed
1 lb assorted mushrooms (I used beech, oyster, and trumpet)
2 white onions, thinly sliced
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
2 cups organic dry red wine
1/2 cup beef stock (make sure there is no sugar added)
.With Julia Child’s 100th birthday fast approaching, the food blog world has been celebrating in the best way we know how: honoring Julia Child through her recipes. I am currently reading a book about her life called Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz. (I will have a review of this book when I’m finished reading). I just got to the chapter which describes Julia’s first encounter with French food. Her first meal in France was Sole Meuniere, a simple but absolutely delicious dish. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, so I made a slightly altered version of Julia’s version over spaghetti. I wanted to make it with sole, but my market was all out. Hake is a similar fish, so I substituted it for the sole, so I bring you Hake Meuniere over Spaghetti.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh spaghetti
3 skinless and boneless hake or sole fillets, 4 to 6 ounces
