Steaks with Red Wine Sauce

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. New York Strip steak
• 2 tbs. EVOO
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 c. dry red wine
• 2 tbs. red wine vinegar
• parsley for garnish 

Directions 

1. Season both sides of each steak with salt and pepper.
2. In a large cast iron skillet heat EVOO over medium-high heat.  Add steaks and sear 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.  Let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, reduce heat to low.  Add wine and vinegar and deglaze the pan, scrapping up any browned bits.  Allow to reduce by half. 
4. Thinly slice steaks into strips and pour over red wine sauce.  Serves 4.

Warm French Lentils

recipe adapted from "How Easy Is That?"

 
Ingredients

• 2 tbs. plus 1/4 c. good olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, diced 1/2 in.
• 1 medium onion, diced 1/2 in.
• 2 carrots, diced 1/2 in.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 c. French green lentils
• 1 whole onion, peeled and stuck with 6 whole cloves
• 1 stalk of celery, cut in half
• 4 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbs. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the 2 tbs. of EVOO in a medium saute pan, add the diced celery, diced onion, and carrots, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, place the lentils, 4 cups of water, the onion with the cloves, and the stalk of celery in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the cooked celery, onion, and carrots, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.  Remove and discard the whole onion and celery stalk and drain the lentils.  Place them in a medium bowl.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the 1/4 c. of EVOO, the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.  The longer the lentils sit, the more salt and pepper you'll want to add.  Serves 4 to 6.

Coq Au Vin

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Y'all

Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed, plus 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
• 6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into lardons
• 2 tbs. canola oil
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1/4 c. brown rice flour
• 2 c. reduced sodium chicken broth, plus more if desired
• Bouquet garni (3 sprigs of thyme, 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, and 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, tied together in cheesecloth)
• 1 tbs. EVOO
• 1 sprig of thyme for seasoning
• 1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley, for seasoning
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh, for seasoning
• 10 white button mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed, halved or quartered if large
• 16 to 24 pearl onions (4 for each person you plan to serve) trimmed and peeled

Directions

1. Place the chicken pieces in a large nonreactive bowl.  Add the onion, carrot, celery, crushed garlic, peppercorns, and wine.  Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least several hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet and a plate with paper towels.
3. Transfer the chicken pieces from the marinade to the baking sheet.  Pat them dry with additional paper towels.  Strain and reserve the marinade liquid reserving the vegetables separately. 
4. To prepare the chicken, heat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate.  Pour off and discard all but 1 tbs. of the bacon fat.  Decrease the heat to medium, and add 1 tbs. of the canola oil and heat until shimmering.  
5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Add the chicken pieces to the pan, skin side down, and cook over medium heat until a rich golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Remove the browned chicken to the baking sheet; set aside.
6. Add the drained vegetables from the marinade to the pan, and cook until they start to color, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the chopped garlic and shallots and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.  Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to lightly coat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns brown, 2 to 3 minutes.  Return the chicken to the Dutch oven.  Add the reserved marinade liquid and enough stock so that the chicken is barely covered.  Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil over medium-high heat on top of the stove.  Cover and transfer to the oven.  
7. Bake until the chicken pieces are tender and fall apart easily when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Or to cook on top of the stove, bring to a boil, decrease the heat to very low and simmer until chicken pieces are tender and fall apart easily when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.  
8. To cook the vegetables, in a skillet,  heat the remaining 1 tbs. of canola oil and EVOO over medium heat.  Add the sprig of thyme, sprig of parsley, bay leaf, mushrooms, and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute until lightly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Set aside and keep warm.  Add the reserved bacon and toss to combine.  Remove and discard the sprigs of thyme and parsley and bay leaf, set aside and keep warm. 
9. To finish the sauce, once the chicken is tender and fully cooked, transfer the pan from the oven to the cooktop.  Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl, cover and keep warm.
10. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.  In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender puree the sauce and vegetables until smooth.  Or, once the chicken is removed, ladle the sauce and vegetables into a blender and puree a little at a time until smooth.
11. Cook over medium high-heat until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon; thin with more stock, if needed, to achieve this consistency.  Taste and adjust fro seasoning with salt and pepper.  Lift the spoon out of the sauce and run your finger across the back of the pan; if the line holds, the sauce is done.
12. Return the chicken to the sauce and turn to coat.  Add the reserved mushrooms and onions.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until warm and the flavors marry and blend, 5 to 7 minutes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately. 

 Boeuf Bourguignonne

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Y'all

 Ingredients

• 3 lbs.  lean rump roast, chuck pot roast, sirloin tip, top round, or bottom round, cut into 2-in. cubes
• 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
• 1 carrot, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped
• 4 slices, thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
• 3 tbs. canola oil, plus more if needed
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbs. brown rice flour
• 2 1/2 c. beef broth
• Bouquet garni (5 sprigs of thyme, 4 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, 2 bay leaves, preferably fresh, 10 black peppercorns, tied together in cheesecloth)
• 1 tbs. tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbs. EVOO
• 24 pearl onions, trimmed and peeled
• 8 oz. white button mushrooms, halved or quartered if large

Directions

1. To marinate the beef, place the cubes in a large nonreactive bowl.  Add the wine, carrot, celery, and onion.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Line both a baking sheet and a large plate with paper towels.  Remove the beef from the marinade and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Pat the meat dry with paper towels.  Strain the marinade, reserving seperately both the vegetables and the liquid.  
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  To cook the beef, heat a large, heavy duty Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes.  Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate to drain.  Pour off all but 1 tbs. of the bacon fat from the pan.  Decrease the heat to medium, add 2 tbs. canola oil and heat until shimmering. 
4. Season the beef with salt and pepper.  Sear the beef in 2 or 3 batches without crowding until nicely browned on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to the prepared baking sheet when done.  Add the reserved vegetables from the marinade and cook until they start to color, 5 to 7 minutes.  Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to lightly coat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns brown, 2 to 3 minutes.  Return the beef to the Dutch oven.  Add the reserved marinade liquid and enough stock to barely cover the meat. 
5. Add the bouquet garni, tomato paste, and garlic to the pan.  Bring to a boil on high heat on the cooktop.  Cover and transfer to the oven.  Cook until the meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 
6. Meanwhile, to make the garnish, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbs. of canola oil and EVOO over medium heat.  Add the peeled onions, mushrooms, the remaining sprig of thyme, and the remaining bay leaf.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender, 5 to 7 minutes.  Set aside and keep warm. 
7. Remove the bouquet garni from the Dutch oven and discard.  Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to a bowl.  In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the sauce and vegetables until smooth.  Or, once the beef is removed, ladel the sauce and vegetables into a blender and puree until smooth a little at a time.  Cook the pureed suace over medium-high heat until the sauce coasts the back of a spoon; if needed, thin with more stock to achieve this consistency.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.  Return the beef to the sauce and turn to coat.  
8. Remove the sprig of thyme and the bay leaf from the mushrooms and onions in the skillet.  add the sauteed mushrooms, onions, and reserved bacon to the beef and sauce.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until warm and the flavors marry and blend, 5 to 7 minutes.  Taste and adjust fro seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately. 

 Serve Boeuf Bourguignonne over $20,000 Rice Pilaf