Servings: six.
Very simply, a daube (pronounced dohb) is a red-wine-based beef or lamb stew. This type of dish has countless flavor permutations, of course, but the most famous (and my favorite) is the Provençal daube, seasoned with local herbs and a bit of orange zest. The orange was originally the bitter Seville orange, but you can make a fine daube with a few strips of navel orange (add a strip of lemon, too, if you want to sharpen the flavor). I also like to add some sort of vegetable garnish to sweeten and brighten the stew. Here I’ve used carrots cut into hefty chunks so they hold their shape during the long cooking, but you could also use a combination of parsnips, baby onions, and celeriac.
Make Ahead Tips
This dish can be made up to three days ahead. Reserve the chopped parsley and don’t bother skimming the surface fat. Instead, transfer the cooled stew to a bowl or baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Before reheating, lift off the layer of solid fat that will be on the surface. Reheat gently in a 325ºF oven in a covered baking dish, stirring once, for about 30 min., or until hot. Taste for salt and pepper and add the parsley just before serving.
Mashed potatoes would be a perfect foil for the daube’s rich wine sauce. Or you could serve the daube with wide egg noodles tossed with butter and parsley.
This stew needs a rich, earthy red from the Old World, such as a Grenache blend from the southern Rhône Valley. Try the 2005 Mas Grand Plagniol “Tradition,” Costières de Nîmes, $10, or the 2004 Château du Trignon, Gigondas, $18.
Rather than buying already cut-up stew meat, buy a whole chuck roast and cut it into 1-1/2- to 2-inch cubes. These larger chunks won’t dry out during the long braise, and they make the stew more satisfying to eat.
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Let me first say, I find it cool that this has been being reviewed since 2007. I prepared this as written and found the comments about not enough liquid/sauce to be accurate. I added broth during the cooking to maintain a desired liquid volume. I would have used wine, but I had drank the remainder. The stew was refrigerated a day prior to eating and, although very good, I found the orange to be nearly overwhelming and, despite being careful to minimize pith, leaving an unpleasant, bitter aftertaste. The orange note was nice, however, you might want to remove it mid way through the cooking. Overall, it was a hearty, filling and good stew, but not a dish I would consider "OMG!" I will make again with the addition of more liquid and reducing the time the orange peel remains in the dish.
Thank you FC. I greatly appreciate your wonderful recipes!
Let me first say, I find it cool that this has been being reviewed since 2007. I prepared this as written and found the comments about not enough liquid/sauce to be accurate. I added broth during the cooking to maintain a desired liquid volume. I would have used wine, but I had drank the remainder. The stew was refrigerated a day prior to eating and, although very good, I found the orange to be nearly overwhelming and, despite being careful to minimize pith, leaving an unpleasant, bitter aftertaste. The orange note was nice, however, you might to remove it mid way through the cooking. Overall, it was a hearty, filling and good stew, but not a dish I would consider "OMG!" I will make again with the addition of more liquid and reducing the time the orange peel remains in the dish.
Thank you FC. I greatly appreciate your wonderful recipes!
This is a wonderful recipe. Have made it many times. I am happy with the amount of sauce myself, but some in the family would prefer it wetter. I also will roast additional carrots, parsnips and onions on the side and then serve it with mashed potatoes, salad, crusty bread and a fresh bottle of the wine I used to make it. Make sure you remove the orange peel when you make it because it will become very strong in leftovers if you don't.
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