Do you want to impress someone? Boeuf Bourgignon

So now it is several weeks since Freshers Week, those who are not Freshers have been back for some time and you have all had time to get to know new people.  Some you like, some you are not so keen on and some you really like.  Maybe there is one person who you like better than all the rest, maybe someone you would like to make a great impression on?  
 In that case  you need to try this recipe for Boeuf Bourgignon, which is just a French beef casserole but it sounds much more impressive in French doesn't it?
Boeuf Bourgignon is one of those dishes which can be a bit intimidating in concept, somehow it sounds very complex and difficult, but in fact it is very simple and you will probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already.  You will need some red wine, but you will probably already have some of that and if you can resist drinking the last 250 - 300 mls which is around a third of a bottle, you won't need to buy any, but if you do have to buy some, you can always drink the rest with the meal.

• 1 tablespoon of oil
• Knob of butter
• 1 or 2 rashers of bacon
• Approx 300g beef (this doesn't have to be expensive beef as we will be slow cooking the dish so the meat will become tender in the cooking)
• 2 onions or around 6 shallots (optional)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 or 4 mushrooms 
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• approx 250mls red wine (or as much as you have left over)
• 1 beef stock cube
• Boiling water
• Bay leaves

Boeuf Bourgignon

• Peel the onions or shallots, if using onions cut them into quarters, if using shallots cut them in half.  You do not need to chop or dice the onions very small, you need big visible lumps of onion.
• Peel and crush the garlic
• Cut the mushrooms into quarters
• Cut the bacon into smallish pieces
• Cut the beef into bite sized pieces
• Heat a pan and add the oil, butter and bacon
• Whilst the bacon is cooking mix the flour, salt and pepper together in a dish then add a few pieces of beef at a time and coat with the flour.
• Add the pieces of beef, a few at a time, to the pan with the bacon and oil/butter
• Add the rest of the beef as it is coated with the flour
• Turn each piece of beef to brown on all sides
• When all the beef is browned remove from the pan and reserve
• Put the onions, garlic and mushrooms into the pan and brown slightly
• Add the wine to the pan, when it is warm start to scrape the bottom of the pan to remove everything which is stuck to the bottom of the pan - we don't want to lose any of the flavours to the washing up!  This process is known as deglazing the pan.
• Once the bits are cleaned from the bottom of the pan you can add the meat back in.
• Bring to the boil, crumble a stock cube into the mixture and add a couple of bay leaves.
• If the mixture is looking too thick add some boiling water to thin it down.
• Transfer the mixture into a slow cooker if you are using one, or into an ovenproof casserole dish
• Slow cook for at least 6 hours or cook in the oven at 150ºC, 300ºF or gas mark 2 for 3 or 4 hours. If oven cooking check from time to time that the casserole is not drying out.  Add more boiling water if required.

You can serve this with whatever you want, noodles, baked or mashed potatoes, but I would suggest that you also add in some brightly coloured vegetables - broccoli, carrots etc.

Chicken Cacciatori

Although it sounds as though it should be complicated this is a very simple dish.  

• Chicken pieces (again I would choose thigh fillets but it is up to you)  You can cut it into small pieces or leave it whole, you can also leave the skin on.
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• 1 Tin of tomatoes
• Garlic
• paprika
• Oregano (or mixed herbs)
• Flour
• Oil & butter
• Salt & Pepper

Optional

• 1 Red pepper
• 1 Green pepper
• or 
• 1 large carrot

.

• Slice the pepper in half, scoop out the middle and discard, then slice the pepper into strips, cut the onion in half from root to the top, lay flat side down on a chopping board and slice, clean or peel the mushrooms and slice.  If using a carrot instead of peppers peel it,  cut in half and slice into matchsticks.  Peel & crush the garlic.
• Heat the oil in a pan and add the butter (this adds colour and helps to brown the meat)
• Place around 1 tablespoon of flour in a dish and season with salt and pepper.  Toss the meat in the flour then
• Place in the pan with the hot oil and cook until browned then turn and repeat on the other side.
• When all the meat is browned remove from the pan and set aside. 
• Take a little of the oil/butter mix out of the pan (DON'T tip it down the sink, you can use wadded kitchen paper to soak up some of the grease) then add the onions, garlic, mushrooms and whatever vegetables you are using, move them around in the oil to prevent burning, cook until the onion is translucent.
• Empty a tin of tomatoes with then stalk ends removed, into the pan and chop them with a wooden spoon. Stir into the vegetables, add a little tomato puree (ketchup works well if you don't have puree)
• Add herbs and paprika, you can add a touch of chilli powder if you wish but only a touch.
• Return the chicken to the pan, put a lid on and cook for 20 - 30 minutes on a moderate hob, stirring from time to time to prevent it sticking.