This recipe was created by Bruno Loubet, who has returned from Australia to become head chef at Clerkenwell's Zetter hotel in London.
Daube comes from daubière, a covered casserole. Estouffade is a stifling or smothering, in a covered casserole. Almost every region of France has its own daubes, estouffades and terrines. Some of them are for a whole piece of braised beef; others are like a Boeuf Bourguignon. In many, the meat is larded, and in most it's marinated in wine with vegetables before the cooking begins.
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INGREDIENTS
(serves six to eight)
- 1.5kg beef cheeks or blade
- 500ml dry white wine and 500ml red wine
- 200g carrots
- 250g onions
- 200g celery
- 1 bouquet garni
- 250g well-ripened tomatoes
- 100ml vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 litre veal stock or beef stock
- 1tbs flour
- 1tbs Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and black pepper
Garnish
- 400g roasted red and yellow capsicum
- 100g garlic confit (stewed in duck fat skin on, then peeled)
- 100g black olives
- 300g grilled courgettes
- 1tbs chopped parsley
- 6 leaves of basil
- 30ml virgin olive oil
METHOD
Sauté the vegetables for the daube in oil until golden brown. When cool, place in a large bowl with the wines and meat. If need be, add water to completely cover the meat by 3cm.
Marinate for 48 hours.
After 48 hours, drain in a colander over a bowl to get all the liquid from the marinade out. In a frying pan, colour the meat well in very hot oil. At the end dust the meat with flour. Cook a minute at low heat then place it all in a cast iron pot and then add the marinade. Bring to the boil. Skim the top, then add the stock. Bring back to simmering point then cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven at 150°C for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Check the cooking. Reduce the cooking liquid if necessary. Add the garnish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and basil and drizzle some good olive oil over.