"Sheldon" > wrote in message
...
> CartGirl wrote:
>> "Hugh" wrote:
>> > > wrote:
>> > That sounds absolutely DREADFUL! For the same price and effort you can
>> > make
>> > this classical dish from the late master Julia Child. This is one of
>> > the
>> > great dishes of the world, and on my top ten dishes. This post, from
>> > recipezaar.com has been adapted slightly by the author, and slightly by
>> > me.
>> > Hugh
>>
>> ANd you sound freakin pretentious as hell.
>> except for the beef stock and the expensive salt pork/bacon.... i
>> really don't see that big a difference in the OPs recipe and yours. I
>> wouldn't add prok fat or bacon to beef stew, don't want the added
>> fat.
>> and some people have beef stock but most use something from a can or
>> mix anyway nowadays, so really, what's the big deal?
>>
>> If the two dishes were side by side, the only thing giving away yours
>> from the OP's is the addition of bacon. Yours would be identified by
>> the puddle of grease settling at the top....and the tell-tale flavor
>> of bacon.
>
>
> Agreed... and no way are they the same cost, increasing the meat by
> one third could break his budget.... the OP clearly said he's
> unemployed so on a tight budget.... he probably hasn't all those
> ingredients on hand and they'd cost a small fortune to buy. One thing
> the OP might consider is that "beef stew seasoning", it's probably
> mostly salt and could easily be replaced with a few pinches of very
> ordinary dried herbs; marjaram, parsley, dillweed, garlic powder. I'd
> have added a lot more potatoes and carrots and omited the wheat
> bread... to me wheat bread doesn't go with beef stew and certainly not
> with rice... I'd omit the rice too, lots of spuds are better to my
> taste. Instead of stew beef I'd buy a hunk of chuck or top round on
> sale and chunk it up myself... I never buy "stew meat", it's pretty
> much mystery meat. I'd keep the cost down further by not using wine,
> I'd add a can of cheapo beer instead.
>
>
You've converted the dish to that great Flemish dish, Carbonade Flamande.
This is one of our favorites. The dark beer is important. When you make beef
stews, always buy chuck in pieces and cut it into 2" chunks.

Carbonade Flamande

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound onions, sliced
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2" pieces.
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups dark beer
1 cup beef stock
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs, crumbled (thyme, rosemary, sage)

To a casserole pan add butter. When butter is hot stir in onions and saute
until caramelized. Pour browned onions into a sieve over a bowl and let
drain. Pour the fat from the onions back into the casserole and when the fat
is hot add beef, and remove as slices become brown. Drain in the sieve with
the onions.
In the same casserole, stir in the brown sugar and add the flour. When a
roux has formed, stir in mustard and add beer slowly to deglaze the pan. Add
beef stock and season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid into a bowl.

Layer the casserole with the meat and onions, making 3 layers of meat,
sandwiching 2 layers of onions. Add a bay leaf and a teaspoon of mixed herbs
on each layer of onions. Pour beef sauce back into the casserole. Add more
beer to cover the meat if necessary. Bring casserole to a boil, cover and
bake in a 300 degree oven for 3 hours. Skim off fat, season with salt and
pepper and serve.