Sunday Night Dinner and a Movie

Weekends come and go so quickly it's easy to let those magical 48 hours pass by, wasted by excessive computer use or tv watching. This weekend, I opted to cherish this short reprieve by cooking a comforting meal and watching a French movie.

The Menu: Beef Stew (this wonderful one pot wonder courtesy of Marie Hejl) and indulgent Chocolate Mousse from Rachel Khoo (of Cooking Channel's The Little Paris Kitchen's) namesake cookbook. 

The Movie: A Cat in Paris. 

Beef Stew, courtesy of Marie Hejl

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs. beef, cut into chunks

3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 whole bay leaves

2 whole sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch Oven over medium heat.

Add the beef.  Brown the beef in the hot oil.  Remove pot from heat.

Add carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, red wine, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, and butter.  Season everything with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Bake in the oven at 275 degrees, covered, for 3.5 to 4 hours. 

Serve finished stew as is, or over egg noodles. It couldn't be more simple! 

Chocolate Mousse with Cocoa Nibs, adapted from Rachel Khoo


Ingredients:
For the crème pâtissière (pastry cream)
3 free-range egg, yolks only
2oz caster sugar
1oz cornflower
9fl oz whole milk
1 heaped tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

For the chocolate meringue
3 free-range eggs, whites only
2oz icing sugar 
couple drops lemon juice 
pinch of salt
5½oz dark chocolate, finely chopped 
7fl oz whipping cream

To serve
2 tbsp soft butter
2oz cocoa nibs or chopped pecans + cocoa powder



For the crème pâtissière, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and thick, then whisk in the cornflower.

Add the cocoa powder to the milk and bring to a boil then turn off the heat. 

Pour the milk in a slow stream into the egg mixture, whisking
constantly. 

Return the mixture the pot over a medium heat and whisk
continuously. 

The cream will start to thicken. Once it releases a bubble or two, take it off the heat.

Pour into a shallow bowl. Cover with cling film, gently touching the pastry cream, and refrigerate for at least an hour before using.

For the meringue, put half the egg whites into the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the sugar, lemon juice and salt and whisk until white. 

Add the rest of the egg whites and continue whisking until the
meringue forms stiff peaks when the whisk is removed.

Melt the chocolate either in a baine marie or in the microwave.

Whip the cream until soft peaks form.

To make the mousse, beat the chilled crème pâtissière to remove
any lumps then stir in the melted chocolate. Mix in one third of the meringue, then gently fold in the rest followed by the whipped cream.

To serve, brush 4-6 glasses or ramekins with soft butter. Add some cocoa nibs (or cocoa-powder-coated pecans) and roll them around the sides and bottom of the
glasses until evenly coated.

Divide the mousse between the glasses and chill for 1-4 hours before serving. Serve chilled, sprinkled with cocoa
nibs. 

A Cat in Paris tells the story of the double life of a young girl's pet cat, who, by night, helps a surprisingly likable cat burglar steal jewels and precious works of art throughout Paris. The story is strikingly complex; as it turns out, the young girl's father has been murdered by a ruthless man whom the girl's mother (a police chief) has since devoted her life to find and punish. The captivating and beautifully animated film truly deserves its Academy Award nomination. 

Why not spend next Sunday making a homey meal and catching up on a deserving French masterpiece?

Bon apetit!