Cow.

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Daube Provencale. "The best cut of meat is bone-in. But if you can't find it, or prefer boneless meat (you poor deluded bastard), then use shoulder."

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
3 lb lamb neck or beef chuck, bone-in; cut into 2" pieces (I used bone-in chuck from our cow)
salt and pepper
1/2 lb bacon, cut into lardons (I used house-cured, of course)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed (Ha! I used... more.)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup wine
1 cup stock
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 bouquet garni
zest of 1 orange
2 potatoes, large dice
4 sprigs parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in the Dutch oven on high heat. Add the butter and foam it. Let it subside. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Sear it on all sides in the hot pan, in batches if need be, until all of it is deep, dark brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the bacon to the still-hot pan and cook until crispy. Remove and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the veg have caramelized, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in wine and scrape up the fond. Bring the wine to a boil, reduce by half, then add the stock and bring back to a boil. Reduce to simmer and add lamb, carrot, bouquet garni, orange zest, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes over low heat.

Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley.

What worked: It was tasty. Leftovers were even better over egg noodles.

What didn't: I planned this when the weather was cool. When I made it, it was 85 degrees out. It was not as good as it would be, say, today.

Will I make it again? Probably in the fall to winter. It's a decent homeowners' meeting dinner.

Comments

[aryanhwy.livejournal.com]

I've never been a member of a homeowner's association, but I want to join yours just so I can come to your meetings and be fed yummy sounding food like this!

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

Our (mostly) weekly homeowners' meetings are mostly an excuse to make dinner. We're only a 2-unit HOA with two couples, after all.

[countess-e.livejournal.com]

We are raising three lambs for meat, who will be off to freezer camp in December. I am so going to make sure I have plenty of neck bits for this. Yuuuuummm.