Bastille Day - An excuse to enjoy all things French

How could you not fall in love with the heady romanticism that bubbles around all things French. Ohh la la!
Sweet and ever so delicate French Macaroons (my absolute devilish favourite), fresh baked baguettes straight frmo the oven, soft-gooey cheese, light, bubbly champagne (perhaps this is where my headiness has arrived from!) and of course Amelie the movie are just a few of my French favourites.
Bastille Day, which is Frances national holiday (July 14th) is a great excuse to get busy in the kitchen playing around with some French classics.
The classic French dish - beef bourguignon is a highly re-visited dish especially in winter. A rich and hearty beef stew that will melt in your mouth every time if you follow a couple of easy rules. To make this dish a delicacy buy the correct cut of beef (ask your butcher for stewing beef or try Chuck steak) and then cook it slowly until the meat is tender and succulent to give this dish its 'just deserves'.
In Australia such dish's are viewed as 'poor man's food', not so in France this is a very traditional dish and delicate care is taken in the preparation to marinate the beef and vegetables (mushrooms and onions) before cooking. Adaptions of this stew have arisen to suit the laid back Australian lifestyle. With the right beef and a few simple ingredients you too can make a Delicious French 'inspired' beef stew in next to no time.

Beef Bourguignon (simplified)

active time: 15 minutes
cooking time: ~ 2 hours

the ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
1 leek, washed, chopped (white part only)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons plain flour
1kg chuck steak, chopped 3cm cubes
250ml (1 cup) red wine
4 cups beef stock, hot
¼ cup tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch salt, to taste
10 eshallots, peeled
100g button mushrooms, halved
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest

lets have some fun
Heat a non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Add oil, leek and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until softened.
Add flour to beef in a plastic bag and shake well to coat the beef cubes.
Add the coated beef to the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until meat is browned. Add wine, stock, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme and seasoning’s. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 ½ -2 hours.
Add mushrooms and eshallots in the final 30 minutes of the cooking time.
Sprinkle with parsley and lemon zest, serve stew with mashed potato.
Best eaten for lunch or dinner the following day when the richness of the dish has had time to develop.
Bon appetite

love amie x

Did you know Amie is also the French 'term' used to describe a 'female friend’?