Carbonnades a la Flamande

Last Sunday it was finally time to break open my new copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and enter the wonderful world of Julia Child. For our inaugural meal, I wanted to make something that was simple, hearty and of course, delicious.



Last weekend was really cold. And rainy. And while most everyone I know is ready for the clouds to pass, I really needed a few days of staying inside and doing not much of anything. I have been spring cleaning and trying to get some order back in my life. It has not been easy. Some days my brain is drained by the time I get home from work, and I am not prepared to think creatively in the kitchen. Thank goodness for cookbooks during those times.

I decided to go with Julia's recipe for beef and onions braised in beer, because those are three of my favorite things in the whole world.



I braised the beef and onions separately according to the recipe.



and then added everything into the pot along with some beer. I replaced the pilsner suggested by Julia with a bold Chimay Grand Reserve.



Left everything alone (as best as I could, it smelled delicious) for a few hours.



We left the stew a little soupy, because the broth was just as yummy as the meat. For a side dish, I roasted some fingerling potatoes and tossed them in a little butter and fresh parsley, as suggested in the recipe.



enjoyed with a good cab, and a good film.