Pot au feu

Malika

Well-Known Member
Inspired by Step's chicken noodle soup recipe, here is a traditional French recipe that is easy to do. I shall be cooking it myself tomorrow, but using only one cut of meat!

For 6 people:
Cooking time (total): 4 hours

  • 600 grams (1.5 pounds) beef short plate ("plat-de-côte")
  • 600 grams (1.5 pounds) beef shank ("gîte")
  • 600 grams (1.5 pounds) beef brisket ("macreuse")
You would also usually add marrow bones ("os à moëlle")... given that you find some. The cooked marrow can be spread like butter on toasted bread.1 onion
  • 4 cloves ("clous de girofle")
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • "bouquet garni": bay leaf, sprigs of thyme and fresh italian (flat-leaf) parsley tied together with kitchen string
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
  • 4 carrots
  • 3 turnips ("navets")
  • 3 parsnips ("panais")
  • 3 leeks
  • 4-6 branches of celery
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7847/948/1600/parsnips.jpg
  1. Pour 2 liters (1/2 gallon) cold water in a (very) large pot (preferably cast iron). Place the whole short plate in the water. Bring to a boil. After 10 minutes, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
  2. Add the two other pieces of meat (whole), the onion (whole, peeled, with cloves nailed in it), garlic (whole cloves, peeled and crushed), herb bouquet, peppercorns and salt. Bring to a boil, skim then reduce heat again and simmer for 2 hours without a lid.
  3. Add the carrots and parsnips (peeled and cut in 3 lengthwise), turnips (peeled and cut in 4 crosswise), leeks (dark, hard ends removed, cut in 4 crosswise, rinsed and tied together - or one by one- with kitchen string and celery (in 1-inch chunks). Cook slowly for another hour.
  4. If you are lucky and find marrow bones, poach them in slightly salted water 20 minutes before the end.
The broth is usually served separately from the meat and vegetables . The broth can be filtered (through a fine sieve. Serve as hot as possible with mayonnaise, mustards, Dijon extra strong or whole grain) and toasted bread.

My mother says that placing the meat in already boiling water keeps it more tender and flavorful than starting from cold water. She uses beef shank ("jarret") and short plate ("plat-de-côte"). She only cooks it for 2 hours total, adds the vegetables mid-way through and a few potatoes (peeled and cut in 4 or 6 pieces) half-an-hour before the end. She doesn't use parsnips.
 
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