Provencal Beef Daube

The French have several marvelous country dishes, made with meat, poultry, or game we well as other ingredients, which are cooked slowly to make flavorful stews. Traditionally each is cooked in a daubiere, a special earthenware pot.

 

 

Ingredients

3 pounds stewing beef, cubed and trimmed of fat.

1 cup dry white or red wine.

One-fourth cup brandy.

6 tablespoons olive oil.

2 large onions, thinly sliced.

4 medium carrots, scraped and diced.

2 medium bay leaves.

1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Half cup chopped fresh parsley.

Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste.

Half cup diced thick bacon.

2 garlic cloves, crushed.

3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped.

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms.

1 small strip of orange peel.

Half teaspoon dried rosemary.

12 pitted black olives.

 

The Cooking

Put the beef, wine, brandy, one-fourth cup olive oil, one sliced onion, two diced carrots, the bay leaves, thyme, and 2 tablespoons parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and leave to marinate for two or three hours. Mix the beef now and then.

When ready to cook, put the bacon, garlic, and remaining two tablespoons of oil, one sliced onion, and two diced carrots in a kettle and saute for five minutes. Remove the meat from the marinade, and saute for five minutes. Remove the meat from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Wipe dry. Brown a few pieces at a time in the oil drippings, pushing the vegetables aside.

When all the meat is browned, mix in the tomatoes, mushrooms, orange peel, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the reserved marinade, including the vegetables.

Cook slowly, covered, for one hour. Stir in the olives after cooking for 30 minutes.

When the cooking is finished, add the remaining parsley. Remove and discard the bay leaves.