A good bouquet garni adds a new dimension of flavours to hearty casseroles.
The little bundle of herbs and flavourings known as a bouquet garni is a stalwart of French cuisine. It is primarily used to flavour stocks, soups and stews and traditionally consists of thyme, parsley stalks and bay leaves wrapped in muslin or tied with string inside the cooked green of a leek. Tying the herbs together like this, with one end of the string long enough to be looped around the saucepan handle, makes it easy to remove before serving. This is not a random mix of herbs but a careful consideration of flavours, with
no one herb overpowering the others. Bouquet garni often appears in recipes as part of the general list of ingredients, but there are many variations, with some
composed to suit a particular dish. When making something Provençal, I add a strip of orange zest. A bouquet for a mellow pork stew will include a sage
leaf (sage is potent, though, so should be used sparingly), whereas an earthy casserole of venison will have juniper berries in the bundle. A lamb dish will
also have rosemary, and fennel, with its mild aniseed flavour, adds charm to a fish soup. Because there are so many variations allowed, follow your instincts and use the herbs you think will suit your dish. For the following recipes I use a basic bouquet garni made with two parsley stalks, two sprigs of thyme and a bay
leaf. Before wrapping them in muslin or cheesecloth, I first boil and rinse the fabric to ensure it has no unpleasant chemical residues. A good bouquet garni
will add a new dimension of flavours to familiar dishes.
There is nothing quite like a steaming pile of creamy polenta to gladden the soul, but this meltingly tender stew also works when served with a mound of mashed potato or a purée of swede and carrot.
Slow-cooked Oxtail with Polenta
1.5kg oxtail pieces
30ml olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre red wine
4 cloves garlic
8 shallots, peeled
1 medium onion, sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1cm thick
1 bouquet garni
6 star anise
400ml beef stock
200g button mushrooms, sliced
Heat the oven to 160°C. Trim the fat from
the oxtails. In a heavy frying pan heat
the oil and brown the oxtail pieces on all sides until nicely caramelised. Transfer the meat to absorbent paper, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Pour the wine into the frying pan and bring it to a rapid boil for 5 minutes.
Place the garlic, shallots, onion and carrots
in a deep casserole or roasting dish that can be used on the stove top, then place the oxtails on top. Add the bouquet garni and star anise to the pan. Pour the wine and stock over the top, then bring the contents of the casserole to a simmer
on top of the stove.
Cover the casserole first with baking paper then a piece of tinfoil. Bake in a preheated oven for 2 hours. Remove the dish from the oven, then carefully fold
back the tinfoil and baking paper and add the mushrooms. Cover again and return the dish to the oven for another 45 minutes.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the tails from the stock. Allow them to cool, then carefully pick the meat from the bones. Strain the stock and you can either discard
the vegetables or chop them into smaller pieces to be served with the oxtail. Discard the bouquet garni and star anise. Pour the cooking stock into a clean
saucepan and cook until the volume is reduced by half and a rich, glossy sauce has formed. Return the oxtail pieces and vegetables to the sauce, taste for seasoning, then serve with the polenta.
Enough for 6.
Serve this straight from the saucepan as “wet” polenta. This is especially delicious under casseroles. Any leftovers can be set in a tray in the fridge. For an
easy breakfast the next morning, cut the polenta into pieces and quickly pan fry in olive oil until crisp. Top with a fried egg and some chilli sauce.
Polenta
2 litres chicken stock or water
350g polenta
150g unsalted butter
200g parmesan cheese, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a deep saucepan bring the stock or water
to a rapid boil. Pour in a thin stream of
polenta, whisking all the time until completely
blended. Reduce the heat to the barest simmer, then cover with a lid. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon and cook for a minimum of 45 minutes but
preferably 2 hours. Check the polenta frequently
and do not worry if a skin forms around the saucepan – it washes off.
Once the polenta has become thick and creamy and is starting to come away from the sides, stir in the butter and parmesan.
Season lightly with salt and pepper, then spoon into individual bowls. Enough for 6-8 people.
All this rich and aromatic dish needs as an accompaniment is mashed potatoes mixed with dijon mustard.
Lamb Neck Chops with Mushrooms and Parsley
and Mustard Mash
olive oil
1kg lamb neck chops
salt and black pepper
2 onions
2 bay leaves
250ml dry white wine
250ml beef stock
200g button mushrooms
1 bouquet garni
1 tsp dijon mustard
a handful of italian parsley, chopped
Preheat the oven to 160?C. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat, then carefully add the chops and cook until coloured on all sides, seasoning liberally with salt and black pepper. Cook the chops in small batches so as to not overcrowd the pan, adding a little extra oil each time if required. Slice the onions.
Once all the chops are done, toss the onion and bay leaves into the pan and cook over a medium heat until the onion is soft and light golden. Transfer the
onion and chops to a deep casserole dish that can be used on the stove top, then pour over the wine and stock and bring to a simmer on the stove. While waiting
for the stock to simmer, wash the mushrooms
and add to the hot liquid with the bouquet garni. Cover with a piece of buttered greaseproof paper, then a lid, and bake for 2 hours.
Remove the lid and carefully transfer the chops to a warm dish. Pour off any fat from the cooking liquid and discard.
Bring the remaining liquid to the boil on the stove, then stir in the mustard. Reduce to a sauce consistency – this should take 5-10 minutes – then taste for salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chops and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serves 4.