Carissa Clark
In Hawaii, at The Kahala we had a birthday celebration for Julia Child’s 100th Birthday in the month of August that represented both her birth and death. We created a mini Julia Child’s kitchen and had many events around all things Julia throughout the month. I was the Banquet Director there, so was proud to be responsible for executing the many events. We were honored to have Chef Daniel Boulud at the beginning of the celebration and ended with a representative from The James Beard Foundation for the final dinner. Due to the great success of the events, our Kahala chefs were invited to New York to cook a dinner at The James Beard Foundation. This classic French beef stew recipe represents that wonderful experience.
Ingredients:
10 slices bacon (thickly sliced, lean)
3 lbs of boneless beef chuck roll, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 c. beef broth
1 ½ c. red cooking wine
¼ c. tomato paste
¼ c. soy sauce (dark version with sodium)
¼ c. flour
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. thyme, finely chopped
5 medium carrots, sliced into 1-inch circles
1 lb. potatoes, new or baby
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
Preparation:
In large skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat until crisp. Put aside. Salt & pepper beef and add to skillet with the bacon oil. Sear each side of the beef. Put beef and bacon into slow cooker. Add red wine to skillet used to cook the beef and bacon, using a spatula, scrape the brown bits into the wine. Allow to simmer and reduce. Slowly add beef broth, tomato paste, and soy sauce to wine mixture. Sift flour and then slowly add that into the sauce with a whisk. Pour sauce into slow cooker. Add garlic, thyme, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms to slow cooker and stir. Cook on low until beef is tender (8-10 hours). Serve in bowls, accompanied by some crusty French bread.
TIDBIT
La Grande Dame
Julia Child, that well-known larger-than-life woman who elevated home cooking and made French cuisine more accessible to the general public through her television shows and cookbooks lived by the mantra “Life itself is the proper binge,” and knew that “People who love to eat are always the best people.” The culinary queen was known as much for her wit and wisdom as her cuisine. We think her quote regarding cooking – and life – should be framed in every kitchen:
“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”
