One benefit of being a food editor is that I get the opportunity to try out recipes from the latest cookbooks, often before they have even made it onto store shelves. It keeps me on my toes with what’s trending, and over the years it has had the fringe benefit of greatly expanding my culinary skills.
But these days, I’m also tempted on a daily basis by what ends up on my social media feeds.
Click once on a recipe that looks good, and thanks to algorithms that influence what pops up on your screen, chances are you'll be inundated with that chef or restaurant’s content again and again.
Lately, for me, the late great Anthony Bourdain has been making regular appearances on my phone as I food scroll.
Known for his straight-talking, unpretentious take on cooking and exploration of global cuisine through his shows “No Reservations” and “Parts Unknown,” Bourdain was and continues to be loved for his candid and (sometimes) unfiltered take on food. Home cooks also appreciate his practical cooking tips and techniques.
His recipe for beef bourguignon, which popped up on my screen a few days ago, is a great example.
Julia Child might be responsible for popularizing the classic, slow-cooked French stew in which chunks of beef shoulder are slowly braised in red wine with onions and carrots until the meat is tender enough to almost melt in your mouth. But Bourdain, with his devil-be-damned demeanor, somehow makes the dish feel approachable—even though the two chefs’ recipes are pretty similar.
With the price of beef going up and up, this could be considered a special occasion dish for a chilly December night. But you also could substitute lean stewing beef. I was lucky to find a chuck roast on sale.
Be sure not to splurge on the wine for the stew—any good-quality inexpensive dry red wine will work in this dish. I used pinot noir, but cabernet sauvignon or merlot will also work even though they are not burgundies.
The stew tastes even better the second day.
