Wow. It’s been a time, y’all. I didn’t mean to go two months without a food post. But the cool weather is finally upon us, and even a Super El Niño! I know, because our ceiling is leaking. Nevertheless, this is the time for wood fires and comforting meals simmered slowly in heavy pots. I’m on my third braise of November, and it’s only the 8th. Here’s the recipe for the first braise, my mother’s Belgian beer stew.
Carbonnade à la Flamande
This is a Belgian beer and onion stew that is very simple and comforting. It is from the cookbook my mother made for her children for Christmas, 1982. Her comments note that it is better made the day before. She is right. I will note that this is good served over potatoes, as she suggests, but it is insane over a macaroni gratin (NOT a super gooey American style macaroni and cheese). It would also be good over buttered egg noodles. This is a half recipe that serves four generously. You can double this for Dianne’s version.
Hack for the onions if you have time Caramelize them in a crockpot. This way they won’t burn and come out perfect in 8 hours or so. You can put them on the night before. Put some butter or oil in the crockpot, drop in the onions, season with salt, pepper, thyme and a bay leaf. Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 6. If cooking on high, you’ll need to check and stir more often. You want golden, and reduced in volume by 2/3, but not blackened on the edges.
House seasoning Just keep a little dish of equal amounts of kosher salt, ground pepper and garlic power mixed together by your stove. It makes everything taste good.
Ingredients:
3 medium onions sliced* (see above hack)
2 T butter
House seasoning** (another hack)
2 pounds beef round, cut into ½” pieces
3 T flour
Additional butter or oil if necessary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 ¼ C beef broth (I like Campbell’s canned bouillon for nostalgia)
2 C beer (I used Blue Moon this time, but I have used everything from Coors Banquet to Bass Ale)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar stirred together with 1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp minced parsley plus more for serving
Method:
If you haven’t already cooked your onions, melt 2 T butter in a heavy pot over medium heat and throw the onions in. Once coated with butter and starting to soften, cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Let onions cook for 35-45 minutes until golden brown, stirring often so they don’t burn. Remove onions, and brown beef in batches, seasoning with house seasoning, adding oil if it is starting to stick. Remove last batch of beef. Add 2 T butter to pot and melt. Whisk in flour to make a smooth paste and let cook for a minute or two. Add broth gradually while whisking until thick. Whisk in beer, vinegar, mustard, garlic, parsley, tomato paste, and thyme. Return beef and onions to pot. Drop in bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning – add salt and pepper as necessary. Reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer at least 2 hours. Better the next day (and you can pull off any excess fat easily after a day in the fridge)!
(you can thicken further before serving if you like with a beurre manie: blend together 2 tbsp soft butter and 3 tbsp flour and drop in pea small balls into simmering stew)
Bonus! Macaroni gratin
This is a small amount - will give you a nice little portion to go in the side of a wide shallow bowl with your Carbonnades.
Ingredients:
4 oz dry small elbow macaroni, cooked al dente, folded into ¼ C sour cream
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp English dry mustard (Hack! Dry mustard makes sharp cheese taste sharper! If you think it’s gross leave it out)
1 1/2 C milk
Salt and pepper, dash cayenne
6 oz shredded cheese, divided (I used Comté and cheddar, but cheddar and swiss are a good mix here – what tastes good with beer and onions to you?)
Chives if you have them…this and the parsley in the stew might be the only greens you get tonight
Method:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and mustard and whisk into a paste. Let cook through for a couple minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook, whisking regularly, until simmering and thick. Add about ¾ of the shredded cheese in handfuls, letting each handful melt before adding more. Taste and add salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne until it tastes good. Fold in cooked noodles that have been coated in the sour cream. Add the chives if you want the roughage. Turn unto a small (6”x8”) buttered oven proof dish. Top with the cheese you have left. Bake at 350 until bubbling.