Today Chef Muscariello takes us to France, a country that boasts an incredible variety of landscapes, cities, charming villages and evocative atmospheres.
France is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world; in fact, in its varied territory, architecture and culture, high fashion and poetry, music and natural beauty, gastronomy and charm mix.
A mandatory stop is Paris, a wonderful city rich in history, defined as “La Ville Lumiere”, the city of light, a destination chosen, above all, by all lovers who want to be pampered by its incredible magical atmosphere. More precisely, chef Muscariello wants to share with us one of his many work experiences that, since he was very young, he has faced with respect, tenacity, passion and dedication.
And it is precisely in Paris that the chef tells us about his experience in the kitchens of the renowned "Hotel Ritz" which is located in the centre of Paris, in Place Vendome, and which is part of the organisation "The Leading Hotels of the World", the leading hotels in the world.
The “Ritz”, thanks to its imposing and elegant structure, also became synonymous with opulence, service and refined food, thanks to the culinary talent of the minority partner Auguste Escoffier, a famous French chef and author of various books on gastronomy. The hotel became a must-see destination for some of the richest people in the world to the point that the suites were named after the illustrious guests who occupied them in the past.
Then, in 1979, the Ritz family sold the hotel to Egyptian tycoon Mohamed Al Fayed who restored it and, in 1988, added the Ritz – Escoffier French cooking school.
Chef Muscariello tells us, with great emotion, an anecdote linked to the years spent in France (in Paris) and when, in the kitchens of the Ritz, he found himself preparing a typical and very well-known French dish for a very special guest: David Rockefeller, an American banker and one of the founders of the Bilderberg group and the Trilateral Commission and present in the rankings of the richest people in the world.
Imagine how rewarding and exciting it was for a young and talented chef (from Naples) to present his culinary skills and meet the youngest son of John Davison Rockefeller Jr…..truly unforgettable!
But let's get back to the dish in question... the young chef Muscariello prepared the "Boeuf Bourguignon", or "Beef Burgundy".
This dish is one of the many examples of peasant dishes that were then refined into "haute cuisine".
It is a meat stew that is slowly cooked in Burgundy wine (a French region famous for its characteristic and fine wines, along with those of the Bordeaux region). This dish is one of the great classics of French cuisine; the recipe originates in Burgundy, home of the famous red wine of the same name, where the beef is slowly cooked.
The first written traces of the recipe appear only in 1903 by Auguste Escoffier who, although it is a recipe of medieval origin, has undergone small modifications due to changes in kitchen equipment and available food supplies. There are many ways to get a good Beef Bourguignon but in the great encyclopedia of French cuisine "Larousse gastronomique" the complete recipe for preparing the bacon and flouring the beef is reported.
Let's see how chef Muscariello prepared for David Rockefeller and how he still prepares today, the Boeuf Bourguignon. We need: 800 gr. Beef (priest's hat), 1L. Burgundy red wine, 1 L. Meat broth, 200 gr. Stretched bacon, 1 tablespoon of double tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 white onion, 1 carrot, 250 gr. Champignon mushrooms, 200 gr. Borettane onions, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper.
Slice the carrot and roughly chop the onion. Dice the meat and dice the bacon. Pour the bacon into a pan and fry until the fat has melted and it is golden and crispy. Then remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside. Then arrange the meat and fry it in the remaining oil in the pan and let it brown well on all sides.
When the meat has taken on a nice brown color, drain it from the cooking liquid and transfer it to a plate, together with the bacon. In the same oil, fry the vegetables, carrot and onion; then remove the fatty oil from the pan and place the meat back in with a little salt and pepper. Sprinkle with flour (so that a light crust forms) while turning the meat. Place the meat, bacon and vegetables in a saucepan, add the red wine (at room temperature) until it covers the meat (if the wine is not enough, possibly add a little meat broth).
Then add the tomato paste, crushed garlic, spring onions and herbs (thyme and bay leaves) and bring to the boil. Then cover the pan with a lid and leave to cook on a low flame for about 2 hours. In the meantime, clean the mushrooms, cut them into slices and cook them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt; then, turn off the heat and set them aside. The meat is ready when the fork pierces it easily.
Then, once cooked, add the mushrooms to the meat, mix gently, and let everything flavor for a few moments. Finally, add the finely chopped parsley and serve the "boeuf bourguignon" to enchant your palates just like chef Muscariello did with Rockefeller!
Enjoy your meal.
Valeria Barbaraci
Article published on November 3, 2023 - 13:28
