While I was in balmy Cyprus this weekend (24°), Brussels experienced its first snowfall. I promise you that when we landed, the Cypriot pilot sounded disappointed when he announced a ground temperature of 3°. I was glad to be warm, and even though snow/city slush in Brussels is not as pleasant as the snow in the mountains, I figured it was finally time to post a recipe which will indeed keep you warm all winter (unless, like me, you will be spending Christmas somewhere warm - say the French Antilles...) Until then, I will be keeping warm with soups, stews, and cuddling.
Pot-au-feu is a traditional dish made with the cheapest cuts of meat, braised for a long time, creating a stock. Then, adding the vegetables towards the end in accordance with cooking time. The meat should be gelatinous, with the fat and collagen adding to the mouth-feel of the broth. Should you wish to make this low-fat, it's possible to let the stock cool and to scrape the fat off of the top before re-heating.
This is a simple meal, traditionally eaten by the lower classes. In the days when households constantly had a fire burning, ingredients were replaced as the stew was eaten. Nowadays, it's made as any other dish - though it still takes a while.
I can't tell you the first time I ate this. Definitely in my childhood. I don't remember who made it, or when, but it belongs on my list of childhood memories - along with things like
Hachis Parmentier, rosemary fried potatoes, and spinach with roquefort and an egg.
