Chef and cookbook author Julia Child also celebrated French culture and cuisine. Her classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking (co-authored by Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle) has for the past 50 years teaching amateur cooks and professional chefs the sublime secrets of French cooking. One of her most notable recipes is for Boeuf Bourguignon the quintessential French "peasant" dish, perhaps the ultimate French comfort food. The dish was the subject of the very first episode of Julia Child's path breaking television series "The French Chef". There are, of course, many ways to make Boeuf Bourguignon, and Julia Child herself published different versions in her many books. The version she presented on her TV show is also somewhat different than the one she offered in "MAFC". The version below is derived from her TV show, it is a bit stripped down and a bit easier to make than the version found in her first book. As Chef Child points out, the recipe embraces a wide range of versatile and useful techniques that are employed in French cooking but can be used in many other styles of cooking as well. One nifty thing to know is if you substitute chicken for beef in this recipe, shorten the cooking time (chicken cooks in only 1/2 hour!) and add a 1/3 of a cup of cognac, but keep everything else the same (including the red wine) voila! you will have coq au vin! The techniques required for Boeuf Bourguignon are easy to learn (and you will be glad you learned them even if you never cook the dish again), but the dish takes a long time (more than 3 hours) to prepare. Fortunately much of that time is spent just waiting for the dish to complete cooking, requiring a minimum of intervention. It's not fast food.

Boeuf Bourguignon is a beef stew that originated from the Burgundy region of France (the dish's name literally means "Burgundy Beef"). It started as a peasant dish that eventually became a well known haute cuisine dish fit for the fanciest of occasions. Quite naturally the wine used is a Burgundy red wine but other full bodied red wines can be used as well. Be aware that expensive wines become worse and cheap wines become better with cooking, Julia Child's contention that you should use the best possible wine for cooking is no longer considered to be wise. However, it is best to avoid wine with strong tannins (they will turn bitter) or any wine sold as "cooking wine" (which is had added salt to make it undrinkable). An inexpensive Pinot Noir (a variety that originates from Burgundy and is also known as "Red Burgundy"). Cabernet Sauvignons, Zinfandels and Syrahs are less good because of their strong tannins.

Ingredients

• light olive oil (not extra virgin which burns too easily) or peanut oil
• 3 pounds chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon. pepper
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups red Burgundy wine
• 2 or more cups beef stock or beef bouillon
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 crumbled bay leaf
• 18 to 24 small white onions.
• 1 pound quartered fresh mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Preparation

Don't be put off by the number of steps in this recipe, they flow naturally and logically and all are very easy to manage even for the beginner cook!

Equipment needed: Covered casserole dish or Dutch oven, large frying pan.

1. Cut beef into 2-inch cubes and dry the beef in paper towels (it helps with browning).
2. Sauté the beef in a large frying pan a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil browned on all sides.
3. Move brown beef to the oven-safe casserole pan.
4. Pour the wine in the still-hot frying pan and scrape the bottom of all the residual bits on the bottom of the fry pan (this is called deglazing).
5. Stir the wine from the frying pan and then the beef stock into the casserole dish so that the meat is barely covered.
6. Pre-heat your oven to 350° F.
7. Blend in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs to the casserole dish.
8. Bring casserole dish to a simmer on top of the stove.
9. Cover the casserole and then place it in the lower third of the preheated oven.
10. Regulate the oven heat so liquid simmers very slowly.
11. Cook for approximately 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
12. While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Check the oven ever so often to see if the temperature is right. The Bourguignon should be lightly simmering not boiling.

Prepare the Pearl Onions:

1. Boil a quart of water.
2. Add the onions to the boiling water.
3. After the water boils again wait 20 more seconds, then remove pan from stove and then remove the onions from the water.
4. slice off the ends of the pearl onions and peel them.
5. Return the onions to a sauce pan of boiling water, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 mins. Again, light simmering is what you are aiming for, not boiling.
6. Remove onions from pot and cool so that they can be handled.
7. Carefully pierce the bottom end of each onion with a small knife.
Prepare the Mushrooms:

1. Wash and then dry the mushrooms.
2. Remove the stems from any mushrooms that have open caps and then quarter them.
3. For mushrooms that have closed caps, remove and slice stems (one or two cuts) and then quarter the caps.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil to a large frying or saute pan and heat on medium high heat.
5. With a spoon or spatula mix the melted butter with the oil and then heat until the butter no longer bubbles (important, don't omit).
6. Add the mushrooms to the pan and brown lightly. Do not overcrowd the mushrooms, cook in two or more batches if necessary! Overcrowding or using too low of a heat will cause the musrooms to lose all their juices.

Final Preparation

1. After the meat has reached proper tenderness (3 hours or more), remove casserole from oven and pour the contents into a sieve or strainer set over a saucepan.
2. Return the beef to it
3. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms over and around the meat.
4. With a ladle, skim any accumulated fat off the sauce in the sauce pan.
5. Mix into a paste 2 tablespoons of softened butter and 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour in a small bowl or cup.
6. Blend in butter/flour mixture to the sauce.
7. Heat sauce just to a boil keeping everything moving with a sauce whip. It will thicken.
8. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste (a little at a time, re-tasting as you go).
9. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
10. Cover the casserole and simmer on the stove top for 3 minutes, folding over the ingredients so that everything is covered in sauce.
11. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles, or rice, and decorated with parsley.

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Coconut Burfi (Photo by Vijaya Vedantham)

Burfi is a confection that is extremely popular throughout India. Made from a wide variety of ingredients burfi are rich, dense mildly sweet two-bite sized cut into the shapes of quadrilateral polyg<khoya) made from boiled until thickened condensed milk, boiled down cream or sometimes dried milk powder, and flavored and colored with mango, chocolate, saffron, rose water, coconut figs and carrot. Burfi are often topped with various ingredients such as slivered almonds, chocolate or an edible metallic foil. Sometimes burfi are made in layers. Often the shape of the burfi is an indication of its ingredients; saffron burfi are often flattened rounds, cashew or pistachio burfi are typically diamond-shaped and coconut flavored cham cham are pink and round (or obloid). Burfi are great as a snack or as a finale to delicious Indian meal. The best place to buy burfi here in San Diego is at the restaurant/snack shop Surati Farsan in Little India off of Black Mountain Road in Mira Mesa. Make 'em and take 'em to a potluck and not only will they be the talk of the party, but they will all disappear! The two burfi recipes were submitted by our fabulous "Calendar Master," Vijaya Vedantham, who hails from Mumbai. Ingredients are readily available in local Indian food markets.

Coconut Burfi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup grated fresh coconut
• ¼ cup cashew nut powder (Optional, if not used substitute 1 cup finely grated fresh coconut)
• 1 tablespoon butter/ghee
• 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder

Preparation:

1. Mix all the ingredients together
2. Add mixture to a dry pan and heat on medium mixing continuously
3. Continue cooking and mixing until it thickens
4. Mix in ghee or butter
5. Stir the mixture until it no longer sticks to the pan. It takes a long time and if you stop mixing it will burn!
6. Grease a pie can (or better yet a small square pan) with butter
7. Spread mixture in the bottom of the buttered pan and let cool
8. Slice Coconut Burfi into 1 ½ inch squares

Badam (Almond) Burfi

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole un-roasted almonds
• ½ cup un-roasted cashew nuts
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon green cardamom power
• 1 teaspoon ghee or unsalted butter

Preparation:

1. Soak almonds for 1 hour in warm water and then drain
2. Soak cashews in warm water for ½ hour and then drain
3. Peel off the almond skins
4. Grind both nuts together in the blender without adding water until you have a paste
5. In a deep pt add sugar and some water and heat on medium flame. Amount of water should be just enough to soak the sugar. Do not add too much water.
6. Heat till sugar melts and the syrup begins boil and thicken
7. After the syrup thickens add the nut paste & cardamom powder and keep mixing. Continue mixing without stopping until the mixture thickens
8. Add ghee/butter once the mixture thickens
9. Continue mixing until the mixture no longer sticks to the pan
10. Grease a pie can (or better yet a small square pan) with butter
11. Spread mixture in the bottom of the buttered pan and let cool
12. Slice Almond Burfi into 1 ½ inch squares

Recipe and photo by Vijaya Vedantham

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Originating in Northern Africa—specifically Morocco—tagine (sometimes mispronounced tangine) is a stew made of meats and vegetables and traditionally cooked in a conical clay pot for which the cuisine is named after. The tagine pot's shape is meant to allow steam to rise, condense and drip back down into the stew. Tagines are traditionally prepared on top of a portable clay majmar under which people put hot coals. Practically anything can be turned into a tagine: meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and some even make it with meat and fruits. Every part of the country has its regional tagine dish and different ways of preparing it. Because this meal takes a long time to prepare, the woman of the house starts preparing the lunch tagine as soon as breakfast is over.

Moroccan cuisine is filled with intense flavors and unique combinations. While other African food is defined by its spiciness, Moroccan food is characterized by its fusion of sweet and savory tastes. Specialties vary regionally, but certain foods are widespread such as khoobz (pita bread), kefta (minced lamb or beef with spices) and mechoui (roasted stuffed lamb). Generally, Moroccan dinners usually include mezze (different small salads), couscous, a variety of tajine and bastilla (similar to a meat pie). Popular desserts include sfaa (couscous with cinnamon, dried fruit, nuts and cream) and various almond-based indulgences. Mint tea is one of the most common beverages, as is coffee and fresh-squeezed orange juice.

You can buy simple tagine pots from World Market, or more elaborate tagine pots from Williams-Sonoma.

Ingredients:

• ½ Chicken, in pieces
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cored (if core is bitter) and sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 large peeled potato, cut in 1/2 inch thick rounds
• 1 large green bell pepper, cut in chunks
• 1 medium red onion, cut in 1/2 inch thick rounds
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch thick rounds
• Handful of pitted green olives
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ cube or 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• Dash of yellow food colorant powder, or a few strands crushed saffron
• 1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 6-8 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of water

Preparation:

1. Splash 4 tbsp of oil on the bottom of the tagine
2. Layer your ingredients evenly in the tagine in this order: carrots, chicken, potatoes, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger*
3. When you get to the spices and salt, sprinkle them evenly over the vegetables
4. Spread your olives on top
5. Drizzle the olive oil all over everything
6. If water is needed, add it now
7. Close your tagine and cook until your vegetables are tender, on a very low heat, this may take up to one hour**
8. Once it's cooked, turn off the heat and you can drizzle olive oil on top if preferred
9. Let the tagine rest for about 10 minutes to cool off, and enjoy!

* The carrots must be on the bottom, and the chicken pieces should be on top of the carrots, not touching the bottom of the tagine. When the carrots start to burn they add delicious flavor and protect the rest of the ingredients, but if anything else burns that's not going to taste very good.

** Make sure you have liquid in the tagine or it will burn. Watch out for too much liquid, or it will bubble over.

Recipe by Ian Williams

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Chicken Long Rice is a dish that is popular at Hawaiian luaus but its origins are from Chinese cuisine that was brought over with Chinese immigrants working on sugar plantations in the mid 1800s. Chinese men who worked on the sugar plantations intermarried with Hawaiian women and the Chinese dish evolved into the uniquely Hawaiian Chicken long rice enjoyed today. Chicken long rice consists of a soupy mixture of chicken, a noodle-like ingredient made from mung beans called long rice (although it goes by many different names including bean noodles, glass noodles, or cellophane noodles), ginger and onions, all in a flavorful chicken stock. It is a simple dish that is very popular at Hawaiian luaus.

The luau is a tradition that started around 1819 with King Kamehameha II when he abolished the practice of separation of genders and classes during celebrational feasts. Before the tradition of luaus, Hawaiian people were separated by class and gender when having feasts known as 'aha'aina to celebrate life milestones. Because of Kamehameha II, the luau replaced the 'aha'aina tradition. The word luau is the Hawaiian name for the taro leaf which is eaten at such feasts. Taro was highly regarded by Hawaiians because it was one of their main staple foods and essential to their survival. So important was taro that it was considered in their religious mythology as the elder sibling to the Hawaiian people. Traditional luaus were a major event and usually included hundreds, and sometimes possibly even thousands, of people. Today people still practice luaus but on much smaller scales; usually friends and family come together to celebrate special events.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs
• 3 quarts of water
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger root
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 5 chicken bouillon cubes
• 8 ounces of long rice
• 3 green onions, chopped

Preparation:

1. Put the chicken into a 5 quart saucepan
2. Add 2 quarts of the water, the salt and ginger
3. Bring to a boil, skim, lower heat, and simmer for forty minutes
4. Remove from heat and drain, while saving the broth
5. Remove meat from chicken, while discarding the bones
6. Shred the meat and set aside
7. Put broth, onion, bouillon cubes and the remaining 1 quart of water into saucepan
8. Bring the broth to a boil
9. Add the long rice, then lower the heat and cook, covered for 5 minutes
10. Turn off heat and let stand about 30 minutes
11. With kitchen shears, cut the long rice into approximately 3 or 4 inch lengths
12. Stir in the chicken and heat briefly before serving
13. Sprinkle with green onions
14. Add soy sauce to taste if desired

* This recipe uses traditional ingredients. Many people now add additional vegetables such as what one might add to a stir fry.

Recipe submitted by Ian Williams

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Last Updated: 04 February 2021

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