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Baeckeoffe

Australian Gourmet Traveller French main course recipe for baeckeoffe traditional Alsatian meat dish

By Andy Harris
  • Serves 6
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Baeckeoffe
You'll need to begin this recipe the day before.
In Alsace, this simple lamb, beef, pork and potato casserole is cooked in traditional enamelled oval earthenware pots. Originally, it was taken to the baker who sealed the pot with a flour-and-water paste, then it was slow-baked in the oven after the loaves of bread had been baked for the day.

Ingredients

  • 500 gm beef blade, cut into 5cm pieces
  • 550 gm deboned lamb leg, cut into 5cm pieces
  • 550 gm pork loin, cut into 5cm pieces
  • 4 leeks, white parts only, cut into 5cm rounds (about 500gm)
  • 2 large (600gm) Spanish onions, each cut into 8 wedges
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 bouquet garni (see note)
  • 750 ml Alsatian pinot blanc (see note)
  • 75 gm butter
  • 1 kg desiree potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • To serve: mixed green leaf salad

Method

Main
  • 1
    Combine meats, leek, onion, garlic and bouquet garni in a large bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper, add wine, cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
  • 2
    Preheat oven to 160C. Remove meat, vegetables and bouquet garni from the marinade, placing meat and vegetables each in separate bowls, reserving the marinade and bouquet garni. Heat 60gm butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, add meat and cook for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a bowl.
  • 3
    Grease a 4 litre-capacity (30cm long x 23cm wide) cast-iron or ovenproof casserole dish with remaining butter. Layer one-quarter of potatoes in base and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add one-third of meat mixture, then one-third of vegetables and reserved bouquet garni, seasoning to taste. Repeat twice with remaining potatoes, meat and vegetables, seasoning to taste between layers, finishing with a layer of potatoes. Pour over reserved marinade, seal with foil, cover with lid and bake for 2½ hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Serve immediately with salad on the side.

Notes

Note For bouquet garni, tie together 1 small stalk of celery with leaves, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley and 1 sprig of thyme with kitchen twine. Alsatian pinot blanc is floral and dry in character. If unavailable, substitute with a dry pinot gris.
Drink Suggestion: Same Alsatian pinot blanc used to marinade the stew. Drink suggestion by Andy Harris

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  • undefined: Andy Harris