Viking River Cruises: Carbonnade à la Flamande

As cooler weather moves in, nothing is quite as satisfying at the end of the day as a nice, hearty stew.  This recipe is simple, yet… perfection.  We can’t wait to try this one out! How generous of Viking River Cruises to share the recipe!

Carbonnade à la Flamande

Winter weather is the perfect excuse to make slow-cooked, hearty meals that raise everyone’s spirits. Unlike French beef stews made with wine, this Flemish carbonnade relies on the deep, dark flavor of Belgian abbey-style beer. It’s the perfect winter antidote. The key to making great Carbonnade à la Flamande is the choice of Belgian ale. We recommend using Oud Bruin, an aged Belgian beer. If you can’t get hold of this, try a stout or porter.

Ingredients

2 lbs chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 T all-purpose flour
1 T olive oil
1 T butter, unsalted
1 1/2 C pearl onions, peeled
2 lg carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
4 C low sodium beef broth, divided
1 T light brown sugar, packed
1 T tomato paste
1 (2.6 oz) package beef demi-glace
1 1/2 C Oud Bruin-style beer
2 C small red potatoes, cut in half
8 oz button mushrooms, cut in half
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 T flat leaf parsley, minced
2 tsp cider vinegar, optional

Directions

Season beef with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large, heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add beef in batches; sear on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add butter and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and carrots and sauté until lightly golden, about 6 minutes. Whisk together 1 C of beef broth with brown sugar, tomato paste and demi-glace. Add to vegetables, stirring to combine. Add beer and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Return beef to pan along with potatoes, mushrooms, thyme and remaining beef broth. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until beef is very tender. Before serving, stir in parsley and cider vinegar to taste.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Want to learn more about Viking River Cruises? Please contact us at 800-733-2048 (toll-free USA/Canada), 0-808-189-1292 (toll-free U.K.), 800-076-002 (toll-free Australia) or +1-407-771-4454 or email us at service@cruises-n-more.com.