Vive la difference: beans replace beef in an old French favorite - vegetarian beef Bourguignonne; includes recipes for both meat and meatless varieties - Brief Article

Vegetarian Times, Jan, 1996 by Karen Cope Straus

I have been a vegetarian now for one year, and vegan about six months. I love the change! I have a favorite recipe that I would like to be redone vegan, if possible. It's a French dish: Beef Bourguignonne, Beef Burgundy. I never cared much for the meat, but the mushrooms, carrots and sauce are excellent with rice. Could you make it a tasty "Veg Bourguignonne," with or without a meat substitute?

Actually, we can provide three options: a quick-and-easy stovetop beans-and-veggie combo; a slow-cooked version with seitan; and a version in which potatoes replace the meat. The second version most closely resembles the original recipe, but the potato version is delicious in its own right. In France, potatoes are the traditional accompaniment to this country dish.

The word bourguignonne comes from the phrase "a la bourguignonne," meaning "as prepared in Burgundy." Burgundy, located in eastern France, is one of the country's most renowned food and wine regions, noted especially for its production of superb red and white wines. Burgundy wines are robust and full-bodied.

When preparing your bourguignonne, use a good-quality dry red table wine, not cooking wine. And cook your stew a good hour or more before you plan to serve it, as a wait improves the flavor. All three versions are vegan if prepared with margarine, and all are significantly lower in calories and fat than the original.

Beans Bourguignonne

France's fabled wine region of Burgundy lends its name and its flavors to this hearty dish, which is perfect with a wedge of crusty bread.

1 large onion, chopped 2 Tbs. margarine or butter 1 large carrot, sliced in half rounds 1 large potato, cubed 1 cup water 3 Tbs. tomato paste 1 tsp. thyme 2 bay leaves 1 1/2 cups dry red wine 4 cups cooked pinto beans 2 cloves garlic, pressed 1 tsp. salt (omit if beans are salted) 1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

In 3-quart soup Pot, saute onion in 1 tablespoon margarine or butter. Add carrot and potato; stir in water, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer until potato and carrot are cooked, about 20 minutes. Add more water if necessary to keep vegetables covered. Toward end of cooking time, add wine, beans, garlic and salt. Return to boil; lower heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves; discard.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms over low heat in remaining 1 tablespoon margarine or butter. Combine with beans; serve. Makes 6 servings.

PER SERVING: 280 CAL.; 11G PROT.; 4G FAT; 42G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 420MG SOD.; 12G FIBER. VEGAN/LACTO

Boeuf-Less Bourguinonne

This recipe combines overnight slow-cooking and last-minute sauteing for maximum flavor and minimum fuss.

Stew: 2 1/2 lb. prepared seitan chunks (see

glossary) 1 Tbs. canola oil (see glossary)

cup sliced carrots 20 boiling onions, peeled 3 cups red wine, or a mixture of

wine, seitan cooking liquid, or

homemade or canned vegetable

stock 2 Tbs. flour 2 cloves garlic, mashed 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. thyme Salt and pepper to taste 2 tsp. canola oil 1 lb. small white button mushrooms,

cleaned and stemmed

Night before: Dry seitan chunks thoroughly. In frying pan over moderate heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil; brown seitan, turning frequently. Remove to slow-cooker.

Add carrot to frying pan; stir and toss 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to slow-cooker. Add onions; swirl in pan to brown. Remove to slow-cooker.

Pour half of wine or other liquid into frying pan; remove pan from heat. Whisk in flour;, stir until smooth. (Add more liquid if necessary.) Pour pan juices into slow-cooker; add garlic and remaining liquid. Fold in tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. If more liquid is needed to cover seitan, add more wine. Cook 12 hours on low setting (5 to 6 hours on high setting). Cool; refrigerate until 1 hour before serving.

One hour before serving: Heat oil in medium frying pan. Saute mushrooms over high heat, stiffing frequently until light brown. Remove from heat; stir gently into stew. Bring stew to serving temperature; serve. Makes 6 servings.

Variations: Replace half or all of seitan with small, unpeeled, whole potatoes; proceed with recipe.

* To bake instead of using a slow-cooker, put in an ovenproof casserole after initial sauteing of ingredients. Bake uncovered in a 42 5 -degree oven 10 minutes or until contents bubble. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, cover and bake 2 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Finish with mushroom step.

* To prepare bourguignonne on the stove, saute ingredients in a large stewpot; proceed with rest of recipe. Simmer covered 1 hour, or until vegetables are tender. Finish with mushroom step.

PER SERVING: 380 CAL.; 35G PROT.; 8G FAT; 45G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 1219MG SOD.; 3G FIBER. VEGAN

Boeuf Bourguignonne

The following ingredients were taken from our reader's original recipe. Her recipe makes 6 servings.

6 strips bacon 2 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat 1 1/2 cups burgundy wine 1 bay leaf 1 Tbs. thyme 12 whole baby onions, peeled 1 lb. white button mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed 4 medium carrots, sliced 2 Tbs. flour 10 oz. beef broth (homemade or canned) Salt and pepper to taste