Carbonnades a la Flamande…Le Creuset Doufeu Cooking

Carbonnades a la Flamande.

That’s a little fancy sounding for Doughmesstic, isn’t it?

Don’t worry, it’s not. It’s beef, braised in beer. There are also onions, some new potatoes, and carrots,too, rounding out a pot roast unlike any other.

I made mine in Le Creuset’s GORGEOUS Doufeu.

Have you seen this incredible creature? It’s stunning (well, it IS Le Creuset, after all), and the idea behind it couldn’t be more ingenious. While your standard French Oven is oval, with an oval lid, the doufeu differs in that the lid isn’t domed. Instead, there is an indention – a bowl of sorts – in the enameled cast iron lid. Fill it with ice, and as the stew simmers, the ice melts, causing condensation that self-bastes your dinner.

I know, right??

This means less liquid is needed in your sauce in order to cook, resulting in more flavor versus more water. It also means juicy, succulent meat. Perfectly done vegetables, no mushy potatoes, no overcooked carrots.

I may never cook in anything else.

Carbonnades a la Flamande…Le Creuset Doufeu Cooking

Rating: 4

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours, 35 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Yield: 6-8 servings

• 2 pounds sirloin, cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 sweet onions, chopped
• 12 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 12 ounces beer (I used lager)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 teaspoons Worchestershire Sauce
• 1/2 cup cream
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 large carrots, cut into pieces
• 10-12 new potatoes, halved if large

Instructions

1. Heat oil in doufeu over medium heat. Brown meat a few pieces at a time. Do not crowd the meat or it will not brown properly. Remove from heat as browned and repeat until all has been browned.
2. Saute the onions and mushrooms in the same doufeu, until onions are translucent. Add beer to deglaze the pot, scraping brown bits from bottom of the doufeu.
3. Return meat to pot and add seasonings, Worchestershire, cream, and butter. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours or more. In the lid of the doufeu, add cubed ice.
4. After 2 hours (or enough time to tenderize meat), Remove melted ice water from doufeu. Taste and season as needed. Add vegetables and simmer for 25 more minutes, until tender. Serve and enjoy!

The Giveaway

I’m sure you know I wouldn’t introduce you to something so stunning without offering to GIVE YOU ONE, right?

Of course I wouldn’t.

So Happy Valentine’s Day, just a little early.

If you want to win a Doufeu from Le Creuset, valued at $490, tell me this. What color would you want? Me, I have Ocean. It’s far and away my favorite Le Creuset color. Just scoot over to the LC webpage and choose – there are 4 colors. None are wrong. Now, leave me a comment, and you are entered to win.

You want multiple chances to win though, right?

Share this post on Facebook, for one chance to win. Just be sure to come back here and comment, letting me know you did.

For another chance, Tweet the link to this post. Again, return, and let me know you did – I’m not psychic!

For a third and fourth chance, please Fan Le Creuset on Facebook and/or Follow them on Twitter. Each one counts, so that’s two additional chances, just be sure to comment for each one you do.

So there are FOUR MORE chances!

I highly recommend Following doughmesstic on Twitter and becoming a Fan on Facebook as well, as I have this tendency to throw bonus entries out via those two…so it can’t hurt!

Contest is open to addresses in the US only, and closes at 11:59pm on February 10, 2012. Prize is supplied and shipped by Le Creuset. I was supplied one to review, but was NOT paid for this post, and all opinions are my own.