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Menu Plan for Winter I: Week 9, Saturday

Rainbow Vegetables 'en Cocotte'
Braised Beef Provençal
Creamy Polenta

Cooking time:  6 hours with break for menu       Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

     This is the 'longest-cooking' of the winter braises that we will be doing.  Start it early in the day or the night before.  This would also work in a crock pot (I think).

Rainbow Vegetables 'en Cocotte'

Total time: 45 minutes
    Colorful vegetables, finely chopped, lightly sautéed, then baked with eggs and cheese... An easy first course. Serve directly from the ramekins.

 Ingredients:

• 1 carrot
• 2 leaves Savoy cabbage
• 1 small leek
• 4 tsp butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tsp milk
• 3 tbs shredded cheese

 Instructions:

• Finely chop carrots and cabbage.
• Thinly slice leek.
• Heat 2 tsp butter in medium skillet.  Add vegetables and sauté 8 - 10 minutes, until tender.
• Use remaining 2 tsp butter to thoroughly butter 2 ramekins.
• Whisk eggs.
• Add mustard, milk and cheese, whisk.
• Divide vegetables and place in ramekins.
• Pour egg mixture on top of vegetables, dividing evenly.
• Put ramekins into a baking pan (I use a bread pan) with deep sides.  Pour hot tap water into the pan coming half way up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake at 375F (180C) for 30 minutes.
• Remove and serve directly from the ramekins.

Braised Beef Provençal

Total time: 5 hours 45 minutes   broken into 3 stages:
    Night before: 10 minutes;  Afternoon of: 25 minutes; Baking time: 5 hours plus 10 minutes to finish
    This is one of those long-cooking dishes that I love doing during the winter. It has a bit of bacon and sautéed carrots added, to give it it's own unique flavors.  The leftovers will be tossed with pasta for another dinner.

 Ingredients:

• 24oz (720gr) beef, suitable for braising or stewing a roast would work to get large pieces
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 bouquet garni   you can buy these ready made in little sachets in the spice section
• 2  - 3 cups (16 - 24oz, 500 - 750ml) red wine  a hearty, robust wine, drinkable
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 3oz (90gr) bacon,   3 - 4 strips
• 5 medium - large carrots
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef stock
• pinch nutmeg
• 3 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 3 tbs water

 Instructions:

• The night before or early in the day:
• Trim beef and cut into 2 inch (5 cm) cubes.  Put into a deep bowl or sauce pan.
• Peel the onion and garlic.
• Cut the onion in half and stick two cloves into each half. 
• Add to the beef along with the garlic and bouquet garni. 
• Add the vinegar and 2 - 3 cups of red wine, enough to cover the beef.
• The afternoon of: 
• Take the meat out of the marinade and let drain, reserving all of the marinade.
• Peel carrots and slice into 1/4 inch (.65cm) rounds.
• Cut bacon into matchsticks. 
• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add carrots and sauté until golden and caramelized, 10 - 12 minutes, turn once using two forks or tongs. Remove carrots and set aside.
• Add bacon to skillet and sauté until crisp.  Remove and set aside.
• Add beef and brown on all sides.
• In a heavy baking dish (casserole), preferably deep, lay bacon on the bottom.
• Put the beef on top and surround the beef with the carrots.
• Pour the reserved marinade over all, along with the onion, garlic, bouquet garni and beef stock.
• Put a sheet of oiled, waxed paper over the pot and put the lid on top. 
• Bake for 5 hours at 350F (175C).
• Check it every 2 hours or so to make sure it's not drying out - if it is, add more wine.
• To finish:
• Remove from oven.  With slotted spoon take everything out of the sauce and put on a small platter. Cover with the lid or foil to keep warm.
• Discard bouquet garni and cloves.
• Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat.
•  Dissolve cornstarch in water.  Slowly add cornstarch mixture to sauce, stirring until thickened.  You probably won't need all of it so stop periodically and let it cook to test consistency.
• Spoon some of the sauce over the beef and carrots, serve the remainder on the side.  Serve.

Note:  If your baking dish is not appropriate for the cook top put the red wine sauce into a small saucepan before thickening.

Creamy Polenta

Total time: 15 minutes      if using quick-cooking polenta 
    Check the package directions for quantity proportion - you may have to add more (or less) liquid to get a soft consistency.  It can be adjusted at the end, before serving.   This should be like mashed potatoes.

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
• 1/4 cup (1.5oz, 45gr) polenta, quick-cooking
• 1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) milk or cream   or crème fraiche or more stock
• 1/4 cup (1oz, 30gr) shredded cheese
• 2 tsp dried chives
• nutmeg

 Instructions:

• Heat stock and herbs in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
• When stock is simmering slowly pour in polenta, whisking constantly. 
• Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until done.
• Add milk (or stock) to thin, a pinch of nutmeg and cheese.
• Cover and let sit 5 minutes.  Serve.  Can be kept warm over very low heat.

Cooking Schedule: 6 hours for menu Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid, wax or parchment paper, large skillet, small saucepan, medium skillet, 2 ramekins, baking dish, medium bowl, whisk, deep bowl or pan for marinating The night before or earlier in the day: Cut beef into cubes Peel onion, garlic, cut onion, stud with cloves Put beef, onion, garlic, bouquet garni in deep bowl Add vinegar, 2 cups red wine, more if needed Cover, refrigerate The afternoon (5 1/2 hours before dinner) Turn oven on 350F (175C) Peel, slice carrots, sauté carrots Remove beef from fridge, drain, reserve marinade Turn carrots Cut bacon Remove carrots; sauté bacon Remove bacon; brown beef Put bacon in heavy pot Add beef, carrots, reserved marinade, onion, garlic,          herbs, stock, more wine if needed

Cover with paper, lid, bake      2 hour break Check the beef if you're around, add wine if needed      2 1/2 hour break 45 minutes before dinner: Back to work.... Check the beef Chop carrot, cabbage, leek, sauté Butter ramekins Whisk eggs, add mustard, milk, cheese, whisk Put vegetables in ramekins Pour egg over vegetables Put ramekins in baking dish, add hot water, bake      15 minute break Dissolve cornstarch in water for sauce Heat stock, herbs for polenta Stir polenta into stock, cook Add milk, cheese, heat through Cover polenta, set aside Remove ramekins, serve   Done? Remove beef, carrots, et all Bring sauce to boil Stir in cornstarch, thicken to taste Spoon some sauce over beef, carrots Give polenta a stir, thin if needed, Serve all

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