Sumptuous (French) Things Come to Those Who Wait

France is a country that is known for its traditional cuisine—sumptuous dishes perfected and prepared with care by chefs who approach food as an art form. Fortunately for us, we don’t need to log a stint in culinary school to reap the benefits of these cooking masters: two of the most popular French dishes—and the favorites of Nadia Koehl, Grand Circle’s Program Services and Land Operation Coordinator for France—are readily available and easily prepared at home … if you’re patient.

French onion soup and boeuf bourguignon—or beef stew—are two traditional French dishes whose keys to goodness are in their slow preparation. Incorporating wine and herbs—two ingredients that factor prominently in French cuisine—these dishes are simmered on low heat for lengthy periods to pull out their rich flavors. For French onion soup, taking the time to caramelize the onions is key to coaxing out their sweetness. And with boeuf bourguignon, marinating your meat overnight and allowing the flavors to cook together for almost three hours will give you a bowl full of succulent, fall-apart goodness.

If you travel with us on The Seine: Paris to Normandy or Cruising Burgundy & Provence to the Cote d’Azur River Cruises, you can sit back, relax, and leave the cooking to the culinary experts. But if you’re feeling a little French, you can try your hand at one of Nadia’s recipes below for French onion soup or boeuf bourguignon.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

6 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ tsp. sugar
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup brandy or Cognac
8 cups beef broth
½ tsp. fresh thyme
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
French bread, sliced
1 ½ cups freshly grated Swiss Gruyère cheese

Preparation:

1. In large saucepan, melt butter and sauté onions with bay leaves on medium-high heat for ten minutes.
2. Add sugar, salt, and pepper and continue sautéing until onions are very soft and golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
4. Add wine, brandy or Cognac, and thyme and cook for five minutes.
5. Pour in beef broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors are well-blended, about 20-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and discard bay leaves.
6. Ladle soup into French onion crocks or oven-proof bowls and place bowls on a jellyroll pan.
7. Top each bowl with two slices of French bread and grated cheese, and broil in the oven until cheese is golden brown and bubbly, about three to five minutes. Serve immediately. Alternately, you can toast the bread and serve it on the side.

Servings: 6-8

Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Stew)

Ingredients

3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 bottle red Burgundy wine
1/3 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. flour
1 clove garlic, diced
1-2 cups beef stock
2 Tbs. butter
1 (8 oz.) package mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 bouquet garni made with 3 sprigs parsley, 3 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 1 stock of celery, tied together with kitchen string

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, add beef, onions, carrots, and bouquet garni and cover with wine. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate overnight or, if you have less time, for three hours. (Allowing the meat plenty of time to marinate will tenderize it and make it more moist and flavorful.)
2. Drain the meat, vegetables, and herbs through a strainer and retain the sauce to cook with later.
3. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and set aside.
4. In a large, heavy pan, add olive oil and heat the bacon over medium heat, stirring until lightly browned. Remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, retaining the oil and fat in the pan.
5. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add it to the pan in two batches, searing all sides of the meat until browned. Sprinkle the seared beef with flour and stir until browned. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.
6. Add the carrots and onions to the pan and cook for three to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are browned. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute.
7. Pour the drained wine sauce from earlier into the pan with the vegetables and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the beef, bacon, and bouquet garni, and pour enough beef broth into the pan to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil.
8. Cover pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer on low heat until the meat is tender, about 2 ½ - 3 hours. Remove the bouquet garni and discard it.
9. In a separate pan, sauté the mushrooms in butter until lightly browned, about five to eight minutes. Stir the mushrooms into the stew.
10. Serve your boeuf bourguignon on a plate or bowl with mashed or boiled potatoes. Bon appétit!

Servings: 6

Enjoy traditional French cuisine like these two dishes on our The Seine: Paris to Normandy or Cruising Burgundy & Provence to the Cote d’Azur River Cruises.