GO WITH THE SLOW

STEVE CUMPER USES OLD-SCHOOL RULES AND PLENTY OF RED WINE TO MAKE A CLASSIC DISH.

Steve Cumper makes a classic beef bourguignon.

FOR MANY AUSTRALIANS, myself included, boeuf à la bourguignonne was their first taste of French cuisine, introduced through the cookbooks of Margaret Fulton and Len Evans or the television shows of Graham Kerr and Bernard King. Over time, this simple stew with an impressive name has become synonymous with French classical cookery, just as pizza is with Italian, curry is with Indian and the, um, Chiko Roll is with Chico Marx. What 1970s dinner party would be complete without a cocotte of beef bourguignon as the pièce de résistance? Having said that, I think it’s a shame to relegate this dish to the nostalgia bin, because like all the classics, it is just as relevant today as it was 40 years ago. I remember when my mum cooked beef bourguignon for the first time. It was, of course, for a dinner party and we were allowed to have it at the children’s table. My eight-year-old self felt very grown up eating something with alcohol in it — my chest puffed out with pride and I became dizzy with the mind-altering effects of the red wine. Truth was, all the alcohol had evaporated during the long cooking process, so my tipsiness was entirely imagined. Afterwards, I was forced to help myself to several envelopes from the adults’ box of Red Tulip After Dinner Chocolate Mints to smother the boozy fumes of the stew. The memory of this meal has stayed with me and, to this day, I have a penchant for slow-cooked meat dishes. What I like most about this method of braising, as opposed to our newish fixation with the long and slow cooking of American-style barbecue, is that the meat is not rendered into stringy strands of grey protein that have given up the good fight entirely. Instead, the cubes of beef in a bourguignon retain a bit of toothsomeness that requires some leisurely chewing to release their integrity — call it a bit of French pride. I regularly test the mettle of new chefs who come to work in my kitchen by asking them to prepare a beef bourguignon. Lots of them can make a dish look pretty by scattering lawnmower clippings around the plate, or applying an artistic smear, brush or daub of sauce, but only a true craftsperson has the ability to slow-cook meat effectively. These days, many chefs use a technique called sous-vide almost exclusively. This is where meat, chicken or fish is vacuum-sealed in a plastic bag, then cooked for a long time at a very low temperature in a water bath. While this method ensures the protein is perfectly done, and eliminates the risk of overcooking, nothing beats the old-school way of braising cheaper cuts of meat on the stovetop or in the oven. It is curious that this skill, a most integral aspect of professional cooking, is now almost always disregarded in favour of sous-vide. So please have a crack at this incredibly tasty and rewarding classic. It’s chic but easy to prepare, making it a go-to dish for all occasions — whether you’re after a simple feed or dishing up a serve of hipster irony. Bon appétit, mes amis. Steve Cumper is a chef and funnyman who lives in Tasmania and dreams of one day owning a fleet of holiday vans called Wicked Cumpers.

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Serves 4 ½ bunch thyme

6 stalks flat-leaf parsley

2 bay leaves

⅓ cup plain flour

1kg chuck or blade steak, cut into 2cm cubes

100g butter

2 brown onions, peeled, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled, diced

2 celery stalks, trimmed, diced

6 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 cups pinot noir or light red wine

extra flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

buttered noodles or mashed potato, to serve

Tie thyme, parsley and bay leaves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet garni. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Lightly dust beef with flour. Melt half of butter in a heavy-based flameproof casserole pan over a medium heat. Cook beef, in batches, for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Add remaining butter to pan and heat until melted. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bouquet garni. Cook for 10 minutes or until onion softens and begins to caramelise. Add sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until sugar caramelises. Add tomato paste, mustard and ¼ cup of wine, and stir until a smooth paste forms. Return beef and juices to pan. Pour in remaining wine until beef is just covered. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer for 2 hours or until beef is very tender. Season to taste. Garnish with extra parsley and serve with buttered noodles.