Recipe: Beef Daube

Beef Daube
This is a Provencal beef stew that becomes moist after a long simmer.
Serves 4 to 6

• 3 lbs stewing beef, preferably equal portions of bottom round and either chuck, shoulder blade, shank or short rib meat
• 1 onion, cut in half and stuck with four cloves
• 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 lb carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 bouquet garnis, each consisting of 2 bay leaves, several sprigs or fresh thyme, and a couple of sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley tied together or in cheesecloth
• 2 strips of dried orange peel
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 crushed juniper berries
• 1 bottle dark tannic red wine, such as Cotes du Rhone
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ozs salt pork, cut into small dice (or omit and use 4 tablespoons olive oil in all)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 4 large garlic cloves (to taste), minced or pressed
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• Noodles, rice or potatoes for serving

Day 1:
Cut the meat into 2 or 3 inch pieces. Place in a bowl and add the halved onion with the cloves, 1 of the sliced onions, half the carrots, 1 bouquet garni, 1 strip of orange peel, nutmeg, juniper berries, wine and vinegar. Toss everything together and cover. Marinate the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours. Stir the mixture two or three times.

Day 2:
Drain the mixture into a colander set over a bowl. Remove the meat, blot thoroughly dry with paper towels, and set aside. Discard the bouquet garni, the clove-studded onion and the orange peel. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the salt pork in a large, heavy flame-proof casserole or daubiere over medium heat until the salt pork renders its fat. Remove the salt pork with a slotted spoon and add the sliced onion that was not included in the marinade. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced onion and carrots from the marinade. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the onions and carrots together slowly, stirring often, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the meat to the pot in batches, and brown slowly on all sides, allowing about 10 minutes for each batch. Do not crowd the pot. Transfer to a platter or bowl and immediately sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour off the fat from the pot.

When all of the meat has been browned, return to the pot along with the browned onions and carrots (not the remaining raw carrots), the marinade and its vegetables, the garlic, tomato paste, and the remaining bouquet garni. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer, skimming off any foam. Cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours. Add the remaining carrots, cover, and simmer for another hour. Taste, and season with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer for another hour, or for up to 3 more hours. The meat should be fork-tender. Cover and allow to cool. Add the remaining orange peel to the pot, then refrigerate overnight.

Day 3:
Skim off all the visible fat off the top of the daube. Bring slowly to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve with pasta, rice or potatoes.

Leftovers: Many classic Provencal dishes are traditionally made with leftover beef daube. Nicoise ravioli and stuffed vegetables are probably the most famous, but both of those dishes are time-consuming to make and you’ve just worked hard enough on the daube.