so damned delicious

Okay, here's the most amazing dish you'll ever eat - promise. We've got stacks leftover so tonight I'm putting it in a pie dish, covering it with puff pastry, basting it with egg wash and sprinkling the top with pale pink salt flakes before baking till golden.

There are a lot of steps in this - but seriously, I beg of you, it's worth it.

Julia Child = genius

Boeuf Bourguignon

Servings: 6

Difficulty: Difficult

Cook Time: Over 120 min

This recipe is from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Alfred A. Knopf, 1961)

Ingredients

One 170g piece of chunk bacon 

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1.3kg lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 carrot, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/2 teaspoon thyme

A crumbled bay leaf

18 to 24 white onions, small

3 1/2 tablespoons butter

Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)

450g mushrooms, fresh and quartered

Cooking Directions

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 2 cups water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 230 degrees celcius.

Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.

Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).

Remove casserole and turn oven down to 160 degrees.

Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.

Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.

Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.

Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.

Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.

Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.

Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.

Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

the ultimate meal?

Only a vegetarian could walk out of a screening of Julia and Julie without the most serious hankering for Boeuf Bourguignon. As you know, I'm no vegetarian, and I love rich, french meals.

I already have a fabulous recipe for the famous beef in red wine stew, but thought I'd try Julia's and although it's still an hour off, I think it's going to reward me. It's far more fiddly than my usual recipe, but that's what food cooked with love should be like. Taking the time to linger over each step {on a weekend preferably} means you develop a full appreciation for each ingredient.

I'm currently simmering eshalots in beef stock, flavoured with salt, pepper and a bouquet garni - after they've been browned and caramelised in butter and oil. After 50 minutes they'll be ready to add to my beef, bacon and red wine mix along with some sauteed mushrooms...

Sure, it'll take over four hours to cook - but it'll be a real mmmmmmmm-moment*. And considering that this week's been filled with mere, yeah, that'll fill the spot meals, I think we need one of those.

Oh, and in further cooking news, today I bought two rabbits from the butcher - chopped into eight pieces each and ready to make Lapin au Vin to take on our holiday. I believe it's going to be mighty chilly on our first night, so arriving with a le crueset full of casserole that only needs heating will be the nicest welcome.

* It was completely and utterly divine. The most delicious meal ever - I shall post the recipe tomorrow - and buy the book on the weekend!

frugal friday

Being frugal requires organisation - something I've had darned little of on the homefront lately. However, because of that I've made a few make-do meals that've stretched the dollar further. One night we had salami and mozzarella pizza with pantry and freezer basics. I always like to have some lebanese bread in the freezer for ready-made, speedy bases. We've also defrosted a 'who-knows-what-that-is' meal from the freezer and served it with pasta {it was lamb casserole apparently}.

Because we're off on hols on Monday I'm working out where to spend and where to splurge. I'm taking the le crueset for a few yummy slow-cooked meals, we're also packing up our coffee machine to set up in the kitchen when we arrive. I'll fill water bottles to take in the car - along with a couple of snacks. I'm also planning on cooking a meal tomorrow and freezing it - so I can pack it in the esky when we leave and we'll have a meal all ready to heat and eat on the first night - just add veg!

We've also got wine and champers we've bought from Dan Murphy's to take with us - so we don't have the last minute expensive bottle-shop run. However, we will be calling into a few vineyards in the southern highlands to buy at their cellar door - that's a must-do experience.

they're creepy and they're kooky

You know what I love more than a party? Nothing. Actually, no, I love a THEME party more than just a regular party. Which is why I'm utterly beside myself at being invited to a kids' and parents' Halloween party by a hostess who loves parties as much as I do {possibly even more...}

I RSVPd within seconds of receiving the invite, have already gone shopping with my gal to buy her a cute Wizardess costume and a pumpkin to carry her 'treats' in - and have put in my request for the food I'd like to contribute.

For the grown-ups I'm making "Blood and Guts Trifle" {sure, some may know it as raspberry and nectarine trifle, but hey, it's meant to be spooky!} It'll be boozy and bloody terrific. For the kids my gal had a suggestion - red velvet cupcakes - but as red devils. I think I'll be fashioning some devil horns from raspberry licquorice...

Now, as for what I'll wear. Last year I took the easy option and wore a long black frock and a witch's hat - but this year I've got time to plan. So, because I'm starting with long-curly-black hair that's got to be my springboard. Wait for it, I'm going as Medusa. Yep, with some wire I'm going to make some curls stand out and somehow fit snake's heads to the ends.

I also saw some cocktails on Martha Stewart that had me giggling - Pina Ghoulada! If not, we'll be going with the Absinthe and Champagne cocktails - death in the afternoon {so aptly named}.

yes ma'am

We're off on a week's holiday on Monday, so I've got a lot of work to do before we leave to ensure it's a stress-free and relaxing trip. Hence, I'll need a lot of discipline to get it all done. Hence, these shoes! Mr Pucci's designed these for the woman with a servant who's happy to get down low and go, go, go with all those buckles. I must say, you know those nights that you come in late and can't be bothered removing your make-up? Well imagine the damage these 4.5 inch heels could cause the Egyptian cotton sheets...

Oh well, a gal can dream. Over on net-a-porter they've teamed these with a bandage dress for the ultimate in va-va-VOOM. I love the detailing on the toes - peer in and check it out - it's pretty darned spesh!

green with it

I should be jealous of Rachel Zoe's bank account, unlimited access to couture, vintage wardrobe, front row fashion week seats, darling hubby... but no, my searing envy limits itself to one aspect.

Brad.

I heart him.

my new obsession

I loved this movie. Loved, loved, loved, loved it. I laughed out loud - plenty of times - and I'm not a loud laugher... I also had tears in my eyes. Fell in love with my husband all over again after this beautiful, beautiful depiction of a fabulous marriage and am inspired to cook up a month of French feasts.

I went with two great gal pals, and seriously, if one of them had said, "Do you want to see it again?" I would have walked straight back into the cinema.

Meryl is brilliant. How anyone could not fall in love with her characterisation of the amazing Julia Child is beyond me. My new mantra is "What Would Julia Do?" I believe that the phrase Joie de Vivre was invented for her. And Stanley Tucci? Oh, I'm in love...

Dinner tonight is Julia's Boef Bourginon, my dear friend found the recipe on-line after being inspired last night. Apparently the secret is to dry the beef before you throw it in the butter so it browns. Julia says.

Please go and see this film if you

a: love food

b: love romance

c: love France

Or, like me, all of the above...

moving pictures

I love going to the movies, love it. Surprisingly, however, I rarely manage to see a film on the big screen - or the small half the time. Tonight though, I'm off with a couple of gal pals to a Girl's Night Out fundraising screening of Julie & Julia. Woo hoo,

French food, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams. Parfait!

green fingers

Whew, what a weekend. Hubby and I went to Sydney to do lotsa test drives of new cars - fell in love with a few, out of love with others. We've now narrowed it down to Top 2 - and fallback car. Basically if we get offered a deal we can't refuse we'll buy one of the Top 2 - if not, we'll happily go with the cheaper fallback car.

This morning we went to the nursery on the way back from our inlaws and bought lots of pretties to fill in the gaps in the cottage garden. This pretty pink fleur is a pincushion or scabiosa and it's just divine. We've also bought some gorgeous blue delphiniums, marguerite daisies, pink cleomes and a few other odds and sods. My Mr is now out weeding, pruning and preparing to plant, while I'm working away - one story sent off, another to finish.

Our gal refused to leave her grandparents' today so we've left her to play for a few days - something she loves to do in the holidays. That'll free me up to work, so I can spend some time with her later in the week. Next week we're off down south with friends for a six-day holiday. Bliss.

I'm now starting on my thousand loads of washing - it's been days since I've done a load so it's been piling up. Where does it all come from and how do large families cope?

Hope you've enjoyed your weekend and are starting on a fabulous week.

the spiel deal

Now, we've only been out car shopping twice so far, and here's my advice for the 'sales'men out there {yet to spot a salesgal yet...}

• Don't let me see you squatting between cars having a quick ciggie. Gross.

• Don't excuse yourself and come back with another 'sales'man saying "I've just got to see a customer, I'll leave you with..." Um, last time I checked I was a customer.

• Don't start talking torque with my husband and only making eye-contact with me when you're discussing seat trims and parking sensors. Sure, I don't particularly care about the engine's capacity, but let's pretend shall we?

• When I ask a question either give me an honest answer or ask someone else. Don't say, "Oh, I don't think so" when I ask something, and then, when I press you to find out for sure say "No, we're not getting that model in." You know what buddy, there's an internet out there and I ain't afraid to use it. You don't have it, the dealership down the road will.

ooh fluffy

Should I have a black-tie do to attend, and an unlimited budget, this frock by Oscar de la Renta would be sliding its way onto my bod.

Seriously, feathers, on a skirt - does it get any more fabulous? Oh, maybe with Drew's red metalic shoes from yesterday...

It's the weekend, a long weekend, and we've woken to rain. Lots and lots of rain which has very kindly washed away any lingering red dust on the garden, our cars and our pale grey house with its white-ish roof - it needed a clean.

Tomorrow we're trekking down to Sydney to test drive a few cars. I, of course, have already fallen in love with the first car I drove - typical - I'm so easy. Luckily my husband is far more hard-headed and won't be seduced by a fancy new interior and shiny, shiny surface.

Enjoy your weekend my lovelies x

ruby red slippers

Just when I am positive that my love for Drew is at a peak - she goes out in these shoes and I'm besotted all over again.

Oh, and that neckline? Fabulous.

Drew's on my can-do-no-wrong list. No matter what she does {even that odd two-toned bob she came out with last week} I shall always hold her way up high in my adoration zone.

frugal friday: a triumphant return

Today's post is all about living within your means. It seems like a logical thing, but when you look about, you realise how few people actually do. We're in the market for a new car. A NEW car. At the age of 42 it'll be the first time I've ever bought a new car. But the 18-year-old down the road from me? Her first car was a new car... My first car was a 1974 Toyota Corolla.

I was watching Tabatha's Salon Takeover the other night {my new addiction}. She went in to help a struggling business and was amazed that the owner, who had so much debt, had an enormous house, a fridge-full of Kristal, a corvette and a wardrobe filled with $400 shirts and dozens of pairs of jeans.

When we were looking to buy our first place I was amazed at how much the bank's would offer us - a scary sum. But we sat down, worked out what repayment level we could afford on one income {for when I had a baby} and what we could afford if the rates ever climbed to the record high of 18 per cent... So instead of buying the house in Bronte we could afford, we bought a one-bedroom apartment with a sun-room {which had a bay window just the right size for a cot}.

Moving back to Newcastle meant we could afford more, but again we did the sums and kept it within a reasonable level.

You've got to stay within your comfort zone. No matter how much I earn I can't imagine there's anything I'd be prepared to pay full price for - either I buy it on sale, or I haggle a better price. Funnily I used to feel as though that was a 'poor person's' tactic - but it's not - the wealthiest people around will never pay full price. Friends of ours who are much, much better off than us are the perfect example. The husband never pays retail and even ended up taking a month's holiday to paint their enormous house himself because it would cost him less than paying a painter. I won't go that far, but we do paint the handrails on our verandas ourself because it's such a labour-intensive task that'd cost a fortune if anyone else were to do it.

Now as for the car, I've learned a few tricks.

1. Haggle: get all the extras thrown in for nix.

2. Buy on the last day of the month. Dealers have quotas that they must reach. If they're meant to sell 35 cars and have only sold 30 they'll do anything to sell another - even if it's at cost-price.

3. Play dealers off against each other, "Hmmm, it's nice, but I really preferred the silver one we saw down the road..."

4. Walk away if you don't get what you want - you'll find it down the road.

Wish me luck. I know it's the start of the month, but we're just starting to look and test-drive. At the end of the month we'll be looking seriously attractive to the dealers who should be knocking themselves out to sell us a car at a bargain price.

shades of grey

I am becoming inordinately fond of the colour grey. And, oh my, this La Perla swimsuit positively shrieks chic does it not? Lying poolside in the south of France would require a swimsuit as glam as the location. Hmmmmmm.

nude's not rude

I fell a little in love with these, even though the colour would look rather odd on my skintone. That's the thing with olive skin - it rarely goes with anything considered flesh-toned or nude.

However, I'm all over the curvalicious shape of these shoes, and the stacked bow - now if they came in pink patent... ooohh la la!

that certain something

I love a spot of glamour. Even when I'm at my most poorly I instantly perk up with freshly washed hair, or pretty painted toenails. Grooming makes me feel good.

There was an interesting debate on MamaMia this week about grooming standards after you're married or in a long-term relationship and, as usual, I didn't weigh into the comments {I swear to god every time I do my comments are misconstrued by someone and it drives me insane!} but I did think about it.

I love my husband for who he is, and am pretty sure the favour's returned. That said, I try to pretty much subscribe to the same standards of grooming I maintained when we first met. I dye my hair regularly, wax legs etc and get dolled up for any event where we go out.

And I expect the same from him {not the make-up, waxing legs etc, just maintaining standards - you know}.

We've been together 16 years now, and I've added more than a few kilos to the frame he took up with, but, aside from a little bit extra to cuddle, I'm still pretty much the gal he met.

Some may say that looks don't matter, and yes, my husband will always look gorgeous in my eyes, but you've got to maintain the standards that feel right to you. I feel erky without my legs waxed - and yes, I do consider myself a feminist! I made the political statement growing out my underarm hair in Uni and combined with goat milk deodorant and vintage polyester clothing that was a disaster that shan't be revisited.

I believe the most important thing is to do what feels right for you, and your relationship. I don't judge anyone who feels comfortable in tracky daks and uggs most of the time {I know they're comfy - they're just not for sharing with the world as far as I'm concerned}.

All the experts agree that you've got to work at your relationships - maintaining kindness, laughter, affection - lasting love's worth it.

life lessons

Last night's dinner was a disappointment - but also a success. It was my Nigella slow-cooked lamb with macaroni which should have been delish, but was an epic fail - some could say it was on iSnack 2.0 scale of a fail {that's for the aussie readers...}

So, I hadn't written down the recipe. Fail one.

I neglected to include garlic. Fail two.

I bought the meat from Coles instead of the butcher. Fail three.

I bought leg of lamb instead of shoulder. Fail four.

I didn't cut off all the fat. Fail five.

I used white wine {as Nigella suggested}. Fail six.

Now, while this resulted in a bland, fatty meal it also resulted in me coming to a few realisations. Firstly, take note of all the ingredients in a dish, or use common sense. Which leads to 2. Everything tastes better with garlic - except pudding. No matter how busy you are buy meat from a butcher. Buy the right cut for the dish. Cut off fat from lamb when stewing, particularly when it's in a tomato-based dish. Otherwise it results in unappetising orange fat. Erk. Use red wine in rich dishes, white wine in subtle dishes. I like my red meat rich, ergo, I should always use red wine with it.

So there you go. Not Nigella's fault and I think that next time this dish could be a winner. I'll make it properly next time and post the recipe.

Now I'm off to apologise to my butcher for cheating on him...

monday's menu

After another week of no menu-planning it's time to step up. This week I'm all inspired by Nigella. Tonight's dish is based on one I saw her whipping up on one of her programs... and looks delish. Here's what we're eating

Monday Slow roasted lamb shoulder and macaroni casserole {recipe to come}

Tuesday Chicken pot pies

Wednesday Prosciutto-wrapped pork with braised red cabbage and roasted veg

Thursday Beef curry, spinach and rice

Friday Oven-roasted salmon, lemon potatoes and salad

Saturday Beef curry in the slow cooker

Sunday Pork roast with veg

mais oui, oui, oui

I knew it. I watched a new cooking show set in the South of France last night and it set me hankering for a southern soujourn.

Considering that you can rent a magnifique home such as this while you're there it seems like quite the option non?

A gal's gotta dream - particularly one who's got a lot of work on this week. Luckily my drugs have kicked in and I feel much, much better, which hopefully means I just had an infection and not glandular fever. I've been taking my penicillin and resting as much as possible so fingers and toes crossed my recovery's on an upward slant.

no place like it

Ahhh, spending the weekend at home - is there a nicer thing to do? We started the morning off with Omelette aux fines herbs - cooked by my gal and her bestie - with herbs from the window boxes. Delish.

Now, I'm slowly pottering about cleaning up the red dust {don't worry - not doing too much - and am feeling much, much better - the drugs are doing their job!}

Tonight's the premiere of Trish's Mediterranean Kitchen - set in the South of France. Guess whether or not that's going to set me plotting my next French soujourn...