Coming from a farmer family back grown where I grew up with my Auntie & uncle and about 6 kids. My parents were running a restaurant and obviously did not have sufficient time for us and for that reason, I had to move away from home. At my uncle's farm, we had everything in-house including fruit, vegetables (all in season), cream, milk, eggs, chicken, duck, butter etc... and I never knew of any supermarket until the age of 10.


My aunt used to bake brioche every Sunday morning and I was always the first one waking up to get the first piece of it. Also, being one of eight in the house, she was constantly cooking, either for us, my uncle for his day of work on the farm or a family event. My second uncle had a bakery shop and my cousin left for a pastry school at the age of 14; he now owns two bakeries! My sister also did culinary school not too far from my parents' businesses. That said and being surrounded by family members being in the food industry, I left for culinary school at the age of 14 too!



Main France Signature dish

Boeuf a La “Bourguignone”

INGREDIENTS:

1 kg (2 lb 3.3 oz) beef short ribs (boneless - 3cm thick)
Seasoning mix (as needed)
White bread flour - T55 (as needed)
Canola oil (as needed)
2 lt (8½ cups) veal stock (or alternatively beef stock)

Red wine reduction & marinade:

1 lt (4¼ cups) red wine
120g onions (1.5 cm cubes)
120g carrots (1.5 cm cubes)
120g leeks (1.5 cm cubes)
120g Shallots (minced)
3 sprigs of thyme
6 sprigs of parsley
2 bay leaves
Black peppercorn (as needed)
3 garlic cloves (smashed)

Garnish:

10 fingerling potatoes (cut in half / marinate overnight with the meat)
50g (1¾ oz) smoked bacon (cut into lardons)
15 white pearl onions (glazed with sugar & root vegetable stock)


Step 1
For the beef: trim away the excess of fat. Cut the meat into pieces. Marinated overnight with red wine. Next day, drain the meat very well for an hour or so, and keep the marinade for the reduction.
Step 2
For the red wine reduction: Reduce the marinade with the vegetables to ½, skim while cooking, strain and reserve.
Step 3
Season the meat. Heat a large skillet, add the oil, when the oil is very hot, add the meat but do not overload the skillet. Once the meat has browned on all side, transfer the meat to drain.
Step 4
Sauté the vegetables in butter, add the meat, dust with flower, cook until golden brown, deglaze with the reduction and toss together, then cover with the veal stock. It is important that the stock does not evaporate to quickly. Simmer and cover with a lid.
Step 5
Place in the oven at 330*F for 1 ½ hours, remove from the oven and add the potatoes and carrot. Then place in the oven again for 30 minutes until vegetables are cook.
Step 6
Before service, prepare the lardon and sauté until golden brown and crispy. Reserve.
Step 7
Glaze the pearl onion with butter, little sugar and cover with root vegetable stock. Top with parchment paper and reduce slowly until glaze form. Reserve for the service.
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