Classic Carbonnades a la Flamande Recipe Recipe

How to make it

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• Pre-Heat the Oven to 325F (160C). Boil a Kettle of Water. Make the small amount Vegetable Stock with your stock of choice. Slice the Beef into 1 inch square dice.
• Add half the Butter (with a tad of Olive Oil) to the Frying Pan and heat up until bubbling vibrantly.
• Drop in the Beef dice and quickly fry until nicely browned on all sides (this will only take a few minutes). Spoon them all out and place into the Casserole, but leave the excess fat and the juices in the Frying Pan.
• Add the remaining Butter to the Frying Pan, reduce the heat, and add the Shallots. Stir and shake regularly until softened, browned and caramalized all over (this will take several mins).
• Place the Shallots with the juice into the Casserole along with the Beef. Stir somewhat and season lightly with Salt & Pepper.
• Add a little boiling Water to the frying Pan and work free the remainder juices and sticky bits. Pour this over the Beef and Shallots in the Casserole. Add the cushed Garlic. Pour in the Vegetable Stock. Pour in the Beer / Ale. Sprinkle in the Brown Sugar. Bury the Bouquet Garni or Herbs somewhere amoungst it all. Stir and mix everything up carefully.
• Put the Casserole on the stove and bring to simmering point. Remove from the heat and cover with first the Tin Foil and then the lid.
• Place into the middle of the Oven and simmer for around 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 325F - The Beef and Shallots should be very tender.
• When ready, remove the Casserole from the Oven and throw away the Herbs. Spoon out the Beef and Shallots into a small holding dish and return them to the turned off, but still warm oven.
• Skim of excess fat from the remaining Casserole liquid, if neccesary.
• In a small dish mix together the Cornflour and the White Wine Vinegar.
• Add this mixture to the Casserole liquid. Warm it up and simmer until the liquid thickens and becomes sauce like. Return the Beef and Shallots to the Casserole. Stir while simmering for a few more minutes.
• When ready either serve at the table from the Casserole, or spoon onto warm plates.
• Top with a pinch of chopped Parsley. Serve with sliced French Stick with a smear of French Dijon Mustard.
• Serves 2 as a Main Meal.
• Based on the Carbonnades a la Flamande recipe in:
• Mastering The Art Of French Cooking Volume 1
• by Simone Beck, Louisette Berthold & Julia Child (1961).