Monday, February 1, 2010

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

I watched Julie and Julia tonight and was inspired to make Beef Bourguignon from her cookbook. I also tasted this incredible dish for the first time a couple of weeks ago in a restaurant in Vancouver. Just like in the movie, the first word that entered my mind was "Yum!"

Now I know that there are some ingredients that are not super foods (nutrient dense) but this movie inspired me to cook for the sake of cooking! I have a passion for cooking and sometimes can get caught up in what not to eat, so while this dish definitely has nutritional value, I am making it purely for the taste!

  • 1 6 ounce piece chunk bacon
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 pounds lean stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3 cups red wine, young and full bodied
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cloves mashed garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 bay leaf, crumbled
  • 20 small white onions
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)
  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered

The directions are lengthy so click here to read them!
http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/julia-childs-beef-bourguignon-recipe/1/


Health Benefits

  • 4 oz of lean beef is 65% of your daily protein
  • beef is high in Vit B12 which helps prevent cancers
  • onions can help lower blood sugar levels and heart disease
  • onions and garlic can lower blood pressure and cholesterol
  • thyme contains good amounts of iron, calcium and manganese
  • mushrooms are a great source of selenium which reduces the risk of cancer