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Beef bourguignon
Guillaume Brahimi, of Guillaume at Bennelong, talks about French cuisine.
How has your heritage affected your cooking?
My French heritage is something I've always drawn upon. Paris is where I trained, and when you have trained with someone like Robuchon it clearly makes an impression on how you cook and how you think. How I peel a potato to how I make a great jus is probably traced back to my time in Robuchon's kitchen. It was one of the most difficult and isolating times. I was only 15 years old and working long into the night. Getting home sometimes when people were getting up. It gave me a solid work ethic and a desire to achieve perfection, even though the only person who can really achieve perfection is a mathematician!
Why is this dish representative of French food/cuisine?
Beef bourguignon is very popular in France. It's rustic but also elegant, comfort food at its best. Served piping hot, with a crusty baguette and a good burgundy, makes a Frenchman brim with pride.
How closely will you be following the World Cup?
I already have our first game against Uruguay in the diary! They are playing in Capetown and I will definitely be watching, regardless of the time. I think we have a great team.
Is food or football more important to French people?
I think food is more important than football to French people but please don't ask for my personal answer. I am passionate about both!!
If you could cook a meal for one of your nation's football heroes, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would cook for Zinedine Zidane, a retired French World Cup winning footballer. We would start with some fois gras to share and then a piece of wagyu
Ingredients
1kg beef (preferably Wagyu), cut into large chunks
300g speck, cubed
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, peeled, halved and sliced
2 celery sticks- leaves intact, halved then sliced
1 leek, halved and sliced
1 onion, peeled and chopped
5 shallots - halved
10 sprigs of thyme
7 bay leaves
1 bunch of parsley
½ litre red wine, brought to the boil and simmered to remove acidity
Salt & pepper to taste
300g button mushrooms
Carrot Puree
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
Mashed Potatoes
6 large desiree potatoes, skin on
100g butter
200ml milk
Sourdough bread – to serve
Preparation
Beef bourguignon
Heat oil in a pan over med-high heat.
Seal the beef in batches until golden brown then drain and set aside - reserve the oil.
Repeat until all beef is sealed - reserve oil.
Using the same pan and oil as the beef, add all vegetables except the mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes.
Place meat in a large casserole dish, top with the vegetables, bay leaves, thyme and speck. Stir to combine.
Pour red wine over the beef and vegetables, season with salt and pepper and cover with lid.
Place on the stove and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to very low and cook for 40 minutes.
While the bourguignon is cooking prepare the carrot puree and mash below.
Just before serving, add the carrot puree and mushrooms, stir through and cook for a further 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Serve with mashed potatoes and bread.
Carrot puree
Add chopped carrots to a pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil.
Add salt and cook until just soft.
Pass through tamis, fine sieve or hand blender.
Mashed potato
Place whole unpeeled potatoes into a pot of cold water.
Bring to the boil and add salt.
Cook until soft.
Peel while still hot.
Pass through a tamis, fine sieve or use a fork.
Heat milk in a saucepan until warm.
While the milk is heating, return the mashed potatoes to their pot and stir over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes to remove excess water (this will also add air to the potatoes and make them more light and fluffy).
Add warm milk in small amounts and stir in the butter - mix until combined.
Place cling wrap on top of the potatoes and set aside until ready to serve.
French Restaurants
Displaying 10 of 467 French Restaurants.
| Restaurant | Suburb | |
| 1. | Perrins Restaurant | Glen Iris |
| 2. | Morning Star Estate | Mt Eliza |
| 3. | Breizoz French Creperies | Williamstown |
| 4. | LA Chaumiere | Darwin |
| 5. | Le Provencal | South Hobart |
| 6. | Lebrina | New Town |
| 7. | Arc of Iris | Margaret River |
| 8. | The Loose Box | Mundaring |
| 9. | Petaluma's Bridgewater Mill | Bridgewater |
| 10. | Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant | Magill |
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