Carbonnade flamande

The legendary Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts – dubbed the ‘Harvard of gastronomy’ by Le Monde newspaper- turns its attention to this traditional Flemish stew of beef, beer and gingerbread…

Serves 10
Active time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 45 hours
Resting time: 30 minutes
Storage: 3 days

INGREDIENTS

Flemish beef and beer stew
1 lb 2 oz (500 g) shallots
10½ oz (300 g) sweet onions, preferably Cévennes
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
Scant 2 lb (850 g) boneless beef shoulder (macreuse)
Scant 2 lb (850 g) boneless beef shank (jarret de boeuf)
4 tsp (20 g) salt
10½ oz (300 g) smoked slab bacon (lard paysan)
Scant ½ cup (3½ fl oz, 100 ml) olive oil
1½ packed tbsp (¾ oz, 20 g) brown sugar, preferably vergeoise
½ cup (4 fl oz, 120 ml) aged red wine vinegar
3 tbsp (1 oz, 30 g) all-purpose flour
1 bottle (330 ml) abbey beer of your choice
4 cups (1¾ pint, 1 litre) beef jus
2⁄3 oz (20 g) gingerbread (pain d’épice)

Potato gnocchi
2¼ lb (1 kg) semi-waxy potatoes, preferably Agria
Coarse sea salt
1¾ cups (7 oz, 200 g) 00 (pizza) flour
1 egg
Scant ½ cup (3½ fl oz, 100 ml) olive oil

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C/Gas 3). Peel and finely chop the shallots and onions. Crush the unpeeled garlic cloves using the flat of a chef’s knife blade.
2. Trim the fat off the beef and cut the meat into approx 13% oz (50 g) pieces. Season with the 4 tsp (20 g) salt. Cut the bacon into 1 oz (30 g) lardons, % in (5mm) in width and slowly brown in a Dutch oven to render the fat.
3. Remove the bacon, add the olive oil and increase the heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove the meat from the pan and add the shallots, onions, and garlic, then stir in the brown sugar. Cook over low heat until the vegetables are softened and lightly caramelised. Deglaze with the vinegar, then return the meat to the pan and stir in the flour to coat. Pour in the beer and beef jus, and bring to a simmer. Cover, place in the oven, and cook for 3 hours, until the meat is completely tender.
4. Remove the pan from the oven, uncover and reduce the cooking juices if necessary to thicken. Increase the oven to 400°F (200°C/Gas 6). Using the mandolin, cut the gingerbread into paper thin (1/16 in/1 mm) slices. Place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on them to ensure they do not burn.
5. To make the potato gnocchi, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/Gas 6). Wash and dry the potatoes and put them over a bed of coarse
sea salt on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 1½ hours, or until tender throughout; the exact time will depend on their size.
6. While the potatoes are still warm, peel them and pass them through the food mill or potato ricer into a bowl. Sprinkle the flour over the potatoes and add the egg, then combine using your hands, taking care not to over-mix. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
7. Shape the dough into small balls, about ½ oz (13 g) each, and roll each one on the tines of a fork to form gnocchi. Poach the gnocchi in boiling salted water for 1 minute (or until they float), then transfer to a large dish and drizzle with the olive oil.

Notes

Serve the stew topped with toasted gingerbread and gnocchi. Pair with abbey beer, if desired.

Extracted from Meat, Poultry & Game:Recipes and Techniques from the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts by FERRANDI Paris, Flammarion, 2025. Photography © Rina Nurra

As featured in Taste of France Issue 6

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