Pot au Feu
Like a big, soup-y hug.
Here's what's up. Is this a recipe for a lot of boiled things? Yes. Does that seem like a cop-out? Perhaps. But here's why it's not: I’ve been served some version of this dish by every winemaker I’ve ever visited. From the Loire to Alsace. It is amazing every time. It's rustic and loving and like a big soupy hug. It's perhaps the most humble dish, and yet it's such a source of pride and identity in France, where it's thought of as part of the nation's shared heritage; everyone eats it, and everyone has their own version of it. It's extremely adaptable for preferences, dietary needs, and lifestyle changes, and it's something you can set and forget. It also happens to be a holiday tradition, so bonus points there.
The key to making this something more than just a big pot of boiled stuff is the quality of the raw ingredients. If you spend a little more on your groceries, it'll pay off in several easy-to-freeze meals that you can change on a whim with a few post-production additions. I am nothing if not thrifty, y'all.
Here's the best part: I'm going to give you specific instructions because I know some of you are Virgos. But honestly, you really can just throw all of this/some of this in a pot and turn it up to a boil and then just let it simmer and still end up with something pretty good. If you have 15 minutes to spare, sautée the garlic and onion for a savory soup base and then just throw everything else in. If you can’t get all the cuts of meat listed here, just get a braising cut! Life is weird! Who cares! Soup for everyone!
INGREDIENTS FOR BROTH
2 marrow bones
1 onion studded with 2 cloves
1 leek
1 carrot
½ teaspoon dried thyme or a 4 fresh sprigs
1 sprig parsley
1 whole head garlic with the outermost papery skin removed
Kosher salt to taste
INGREDIENTS FOR POT AU FEU
2 ½ pounds brisket or other braising cut (ask your butcher)
3 pounds bottom round roast
2 ½ to 3 pounds short ribs
1 onion studded with 2 cloves
8 leeks, trimmed and cleaned
4 parsley sprigs
3-4 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
8 small white onions, peeled
8 small turnips, peeled and quartered
12-14 medium carrots, peeled and quartered
1 small savoy cabbage, washed and cut into 6ths
8 small red or white potatoes, scrubbed
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Make the broth the day before you plan to serve the pot-au-feu.
To make the broth, place all the ingredients, including the papery outer skin you’ve removed from the head of garlic, into a large stockpot. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Taste for salt, and add what you think it needs. Strain the broth, discarding the bones and vegetables, and chill overnight. Skim off the congealed fat (or don’t, honestly—I don’t).
To make the pot-au-feu, place the brisket, roast, and short ribs in a 12-quart stockpot or dutch oven and add the broth and onion. Slice off the green tops of the leeks, tie them in a bundle with the parsley, thyme, and whatever other herbs you choose, and add. (If you are using dried herbs, just add them directly to the broth.)
Bring the meat and broth to a boil, then skim off the scum and any little bits of fat that rise to the surface. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 2 hours.
Add the bottom parts of the leeks and cook for 15 minutes, then add the onions, turnips, and carrots, skimming the surface every time you add anything to the pot. In a separate saucepan, boil the potatoes in their jackets until soft. Drain and set aside.
When the vegetables are almost tender, in about 1/2 hour, test the meats by piercing them with a fork. They should break apart easily. If they are done, remove
and keep warm. Add the cabbage to the pot and cook for 5 or 10 minutes more, until all the vegetables are tender. When they are completely cooked, but not mushy, remove them from the pot and place them on your serving platter. Season the broth with salt and freshly ground black pepper and skim off as much fat as possible (or don’t!).
Pour a good part of the broth into serving bowls along with thick slices of toasted French bread as your first course. Don’t be shy about slathering the bread with some Beurre de Barrat or a shaving some Parmesan/aged gouda cheese right into the broth. Reserve some of the remaining hot broth to serve with the meat.
Slice the meats and arrange them on a platter with the vegetables. Help yourself to a cut of each kind of beef, some veggies, and a potato or two. Ladle the hot broth over the meat and pair it with some spicy accompaniments, like good mustard, coarse fleur de sel, grated fresh horseradish, and cornichons.
INGREDIENT NOTES
Like I said, this super-simple recipe benefits greatly from the quality of its raw ingredients. We suggest you visit HIGHLAND BUTCHER, right here in Somerville, for all your butchery needs—from sausages to sirloins. Michael, the owner, is a serious craftsman with a passion for sourcing hyper-local, humanely raised whole animals from small family farms. His meat is expensive. And it should be. A lot goes into raising an animal well, and the price, we feel, should reflect that work. Michael’s team of butchers is knowledgeable and talented, and they’re great at answering any questions you may have about cuts, prep, and cooking.
For produce, MOMMA’s is a great resource for locally-grown, organic veg (the owner, Danielle, used to work with us here at Rebel). Of course, you can always stay local and visit Curio Spice for things like fleur du sel—we also recommend fresh-cracked black pepper, and Curio has some of the best peppercorns you can find. It might seem silly to fuss over peppercorns, but the flavor does make a huge difference. They’ll also be able to help with any dried herb substitutes if fresh isn’t feasible. If Curio isn’t in your neighborhood, check out Christina’s in Inman square.
For the full bread experience, we suggest making the trip to the Iggy’s mothership in West Cambridge. For the absolute best croissant experience, it must be Michette.
FILM REC
La Vérité—DRAMARAMA. Escape with some good old-fashioned soap opera-y family betrayals, ooooooo. La Vérité is a 2019 French-Japanese drama film, written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. It stars Catherine Deneuve (!!), Juliette Binoche (!!), Ethan Hawke (!!??!!) Ludivine Sagnier, Clémentine Grenier, Manon Clavel, Alain Libolt, Christian Crahay and Roger Van Hool. It’s Kore-eda's first film set outside Japan. The narrative centers on the stormy relationship between Fabienne, a famous actress, and her daughter, Lumir. DRAMA ENSUES, get your wine out.
FILM REC
Celebrated rapper and spoken word artist Abd Al Mali directed the autobiographical MAY ALLAH BLESS FRANCE!, a candid account of his early life and artistic awakening, shot in black and white. Born Régis Fayette-Mikano to Congolese immigrants, he grew up in Strasbourg’s housing projects, participating in petty crimes that cost the lives of his friends. He found release in writing and performance, converting to Sufism at age 24 and penning the memoir that informed this adaptation. (I stole this writeup from IFC whoops but this film swings deftly from the deeply introspective to the socially critical, all at the pace of a crime drama. It is very, very good.)