It’s funny. People will do everything they can to avoid being alone on Valentine’s Day. As if spending time with yourself is only for losers.
Nonsense, I say. We don’t get the chance to spend enough time with ourselves as it is. If you’re without plans this Valentine’s Day, revel in it. Pop a bottle of something smooth and red and make yourself something special for supper, such as this Boeuf Bourguignon — for one — from “Cooking for One,” by Judith Jones.
Judith Jones knows from Boeuf Bourguignon. She was the editor in charge of Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” which holds the definitive Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.
Boeuf Bourguignon
From “Cooking for One,” by Judith Jones (Knopf). Serves 1. The author writes: “When buying stew meat at a supermarket, you don’t always know what you are getting, so ask the butcher. If it’s a lean meat, it will need less time cooking (in fact, it will be ruined if you cook it too long), but the fattier cuts can benefit from at least another half-hour). Serves 1.
What you need
2 ounces bacon, cut into small pieces
About 1 1/4pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/3 carrot, thick end, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
Herb packet of 1/2bay leaf; a fat garlic clove, smashed; a small handful of parsley stems; 1/4teaspoon dried thyme; 4 or 5 peppercorns
Vegetable garnish
3 or 4 baby onions, or four 1-inch pieces of leek
3 or 4 baby carrots, or the thin ends of larger ones, peeled
2 or 3 small new potatoes
Directions
Brown the bacon in a heavy pot, fairly deep but not too large. When it has released its fat and is lightly browned, remove it to a dish, leaving the fat in the pan. Pat the pieces of beef dry with a paper towel. Pour the oil into the pot, and when it is hot, brown half the pieces of beef on all sides. Remove to the plate with the bacon, and brown the remaining beef. Now saute the onion and the carrot until they are lightly browned. Return the meats to the pot, sprinkle on the flour and some salt, and pour the wine and beef stock in. Tuck the herb packet into the pot, and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat, cover and cook at a lively simmer for about 1 hour more, depending on the cut of meat (see note above). Bite into a piece to determine if it is almost done (it will get another 20 minutes or so of cooking with the vegetables).
When the time is right, add all the vegetables, cover, and cook at a lively simmer again for 20-25 minutes — pierce the veggies to see if they are tender. Serve yourself four or five chunks of meat, with all of the vegetables, and a good French bread to mop up the sauce.
