Boeuf Bourguignon + Domaine Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône Galets Plan de Dieu 2019 #SoupSwappers

When I was prepping for a Julia Child event for the French Winophiles, I tried my hand at her Boeuf Bourguignon and, then, promptly forgot to write it up because I had landed on making a Tarte Tartin. But, then, I realized that the Saturday Soup Swappers were focused on comforting soups and I knew that this definitely fit the bill.

So, welcome to the October #SoupSwappers event. Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm started this group and I'm always grateful to have a few more recipes to try. This month, Sue of Palatable Pastime is hosting and the bloggers are sharing comforting soups and stews recipes...

Here's the line-up of  comforting deliciousness

• Beef & Potato Stew/Aloo Gosht from Sneha’s Recipe
• Boeuf Bourguignon + Domaine Les Aphillanthes Côtes du Rhône Galets Plan de Dieu 2019 from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Comforting Veggie Stew from Magical Ingredients
• Filipino Beef Mechado (Slow Cooker) from Palatable Pastime
• Ham and Vegetable Stew from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Low Carb Instant Pot Beef Stew from The Keto Grandma
• Slow Cooker Argentina-Style Beef Stew from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

 Boeuf Bourguignon

 

Stew

• 6 ounces of ground bacon 
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 pounds beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 3 to 4 carrots, scrubbed and diced
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 3 cups red wine (a full bodied red wine)
• 3 cups beef stock 
• 1 tomato diced or 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled and mashes
• 1 sprig herbs, fresh (or 1/2 teaspoon dried) - traditional is thyme, I had oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Also needed: Dutch oven

Mushrooms

• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 Tablespoon olive and add in the ground bacon. Cook until the bacon is cooked through. Add in the beef chunks and brown on all sides. 

Then add in onions, carrots, garlic, and tomatoes.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Nestle the herbs and bay leaves into the pot. Pour in the stock and the wine. Bring the liquid to a simmer.

Cover the pot and place in the oven. Let braise for three to four hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily. During the last hour of cooking, prepare the mushrooms and set aside till needed.

For the mushrooms, melt the butter in the oil in a large skillet. As soon as the foam subsides, add the mushrooms and toss and shake the pan for about five minutes.

As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

When the meat is tender, remove the Dutch oven and bring it to the stove top. Bring the liquid to a boil to reduce the sauce to your desired thickness.

To Serve

Fold the mushrooms into the stew and ladle into individual serving bowls. Garnish with herbs and serve immediately.

Though this is not a wine pairing group, I wanted to share the pairing that I poured with my Boeuf Bourguignon. It was a sample that I received through Côtes du Rhône* who graciously provided some of the French Winophiles with samples for the September 2021 Côtes du Rhône event. 

Domaine Les Aphillanthes 

Côtes du Rhône Galets Plan de Dieu 2019

Located near Gigondas, Domaine Les Aphillanthes is owned and operated by Daniel Boulle and his wife, Hélène, who are known for their dedication to their vines and biodynamic principles. While they didn't initially adopt biodynamic practices for the health of the vineyard - they were researching homeopathic remedies for their son's health issues - the principles infused into other aspects of their lives, including their winemaking. 

This wine is made from certified biodynamically-grown Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre - 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre - whose grapes are hand-harvested and hand-sorted before a long, slow maceration and fermentation. After about a month of fermentation, the wine is aged in concrete for 18 month. After bottling, it ages again for a year before release.

In the glass, the wine pours an inky crimson with a violet rim. On the nose, I noted aromas of black fruits and licorice. On the palate, the fruit is vivid at the forefront. But there is a meatiness and intrigue of garrigue that adds to the wine's savoriness. This was a delicious match to my comforting stew.

That's a wrap for the October Saturday Soup Swappers. We'll be back next month with more soup recipes to share. Stay tuned.

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*Disclosure: I received sample wines for recipe development, pairing, and generating social media traction. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the organizer and sponsors of this event.