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What's Cooking This Month
BAECKEOFFE
Oven-baked lamb, beef and pork in white wine with vegetables
Baeckeoffe is a classic Alsace dish of meat (usually beef, lamb and pork) layered with potatoes and vegetables, marinated in white wine, richly spiced with juniper berries, bay leaves and cloves and baked in a sealed pot for several hours. Traditionally it was prepared at home on washday (when the cook was busy with other tasks) and taken to the baker's to put in his oven after he'd finished his bread batch. You can prepare it at home, then go off out for a long walk while it takes care of itself in the oven. Serve the Baeckeoffe with green salad and plenty of bread to mop up the (unthickened) juices.
Serves 6
500g boneless neck pork
500g boneless shoulder of lamb
500g boneless stewing beef
1 pig’s foot cut in 4 pieces (optional)
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp juniper berries
6 cloves
6 bay leaves
2 pinches mixed dried herbs
3 carrots, diced
3 onions, finely chopped
1 bottle dry white wine
2 kg firm, waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
salt and pepper
some sheets of back fat (optional)
flour + water for luting paste
- Cut the meat in biggish chunks and put in a large bowl with the pig’s foot, 1 clove garlic, juniper berries, cloves, bay leaves, herbs, 1 carrot, 1 onion and the wine
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days
- Strain the meat, reserving the marinade
- Lightly butter a large,deep ovenproof casserole which has a well fitting lid
- Put the sheets of back fat in the bottom if using
- Fill the dish to the top with successive layers of vegetables (potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, leeks) and of meat, seasoning as you go
- Finish with a layer of potatoes
- Pour on the reserved marinade - it should come about 3/4 of the way up the meat and vegetables, if not add a little water
- Seal the join between lid and casserole with a luting paste made with flour and enough water to give the consistency of a wet bread dough. (Alternatively cover the casserole with a double thickness of foil and the lid.)
- Bake in a 150oC oven for 3-4 hours
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