Pot-au-feu — the classic French beef stew with vegetables

Pot-au-feu is one of the most emblematic dishes of French cuisine — its name literally means “pot on the fire”. It is the simple yet rich stew that French families have prepared for centuries: a piece of beef on the bone simmering slowly for hours together with fresh vegetables, until the broth turns golden and aromatic. The result is served in two courses: first the strained broth as a clear soup, then the meat cut into slices with the vegetables around it, accompanied by spicy mustard.

INGREDIENTS (for 6 people):
• 1.5 kg beef on the bone (hind leg, shoulder or neck)
• 1 marrow bone (optional, for serving)
• 4 large carrots
• 3 leeks
• 2–3 turnips (navet)
• 1/4 of a small Savoy cabbage
• 2 onions (stick 2 cloves into one of them)
• 1 bouquet of herbs (bay leaves, thyme, parsley)
• Coarse salt and peppercorns
• Spicy mustard for serving

PREPARATION STEPS:
1. Place the meat in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and carefully remove the foam that forms on the surface.
2. Add the onions (the one with the cloves stuck in it), the bouquet of herbs, the salt and the pepper. Lower the heat to the minimum and let it simmer slowly for about 2 and a half hours.
3. Clean the vegetables and cut them thickly: the carrots into 5–6 cm pieces, the leeks into 8 cm pieces, the turnips into quarters. Add them to the pot and cook for another 30 minutes.
4. Add the cabbage cut into four pieces and continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat and vegetables are completely tender.
5. Strain the broth — it can be served separately as a clear soup, with a little vermicelli. Cut the meat into thick slices and serve it on a warmed plate with the vegetables around it, coarse salt and spicy mustard.

Preparation time: 30 minutes. Cooking time: 3.5–4 hours. Servings: 6 people.