POT-AU-FEU

I had some friends over Sunday and decided to break in my new Gourmet (R.I.P.) cookbook.  The day started out cool and rainy, so I thought it would be great to try a Pot-au-Feu.  By the time I went to the butcher, it was sunny and 70 degrees.  So much for autumn stew.  In any event, the dish turned out great... and I added a marrow appetizer, inspired by St. John in London.

Pot-au-Feu

(recipe from the Gourmet Cookbook)

Serves 6-8, with leftovers for the week

5 quarts water

1 cup dry white wine

1 (3 pound) boneless beef chuck roast

3 pounds beef short ribs

Kosher salt

1 celery rib, cut into 4" lengths

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch flat leaf parsley

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon black pepper corns

1 teaspoon cloves

1 medium onion

6 medium leeks, roots left intact

2 pounds large carrots

1 pound parsnips, cut diagonally into 1" pieces

1 pound turnips, cut into 1" wide wedges

freshly ground black pepper

Combine water, wine, chuck roast, short ribs and 2 tablespoons kosher salt in stockpot and bring to a simmer. Skim froth, and reduce heat.  Keep at a bare simmer for 30 minutes.

Wrap celery, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and pepper corns in a square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle.  Stick cloves into onion.  Add cheesecloth bouquet and onion to pot and keep at a bare simmer for 1.5 hours.

Slit leeks to within 1.5" inches of the root ends.  Wash well and add to pot along with carrots.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add parsnips, turnips and continue to simmer uncovered for 30-40 more minutes.

Bone Marrow and Toasts

(from the Gourmet Cookbook)

Serves 6-8

1 baguette, sliced

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, halved

4 cups water, 4 cups broth from the pot-au-feu

8 pieces cross-cut beef marrow bones

While the Pot-au-Feu nears the end of its cooking, arrange slices of bread, spread with butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper, on a baking sheet.  Toast in oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.  Take out of oven and rub underside with garlic.  Set aside.

Bring water and broth taken from Pot-au-Feu to a simmer and place marrow bones in pot.  Add water as necessary too just cover bones.  Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, remove from heat and keep covered in pot to keep warm.

Set the table.  Remove the meat and vegetables from the Pot-au-Feu.  Set chuck on cutting board and let sit, covered with foil, for 20 minutes.  Put short ribs and vegetables on an oven proof platter and cover with foil.  Reduce oven to 250 and put in oven to keep warm.  Pour broth through a sieve twice, then keep over low heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Horseradish Sauce and Dijon Sauce 

(from the Gourmet Cookbook)

1/2 cup finely grated horseradish

1 8 ounce container sour cream

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup minced shallots

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper

Mix horseradish and sour cream.  Mix mustard, shallots and oil.  Add salt and pepper to each to taste.  Serve with cornichons as an accompaniment.

Serve the marrow bones in a bowl of the reduced broth/ consume with coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley and sea salt, along with the toasts for the marrow.  As the main course, serve the sliced beef chuck roast with vegetables and short ribs, a splash of the broth, and the accompaniments.  Serve with a robust Bordeaux.