Pruneaux Au Beaujolais Prunes In Beaujolais Recipes

BEAUJOLAIS PEARS WITH CASSIS AND PRUNES (CANNED)

Steps:

• In large nonreactive pan combine wine and sugar, bring the mixture slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat.
• Peel the pears, removing blossom ends, but leaving stems intact. Drop them immediately into wine syrup to prevent discoloration.
• Tie cinnamon stick, broken in half, cloves, and allspice in a square of cheesecloth. Add spice bag, rosemary, and prunes to syrup; bring it slowly back to a boil, and simmer 20 minutes. (Pears don't have to be completely cooked at this point.).
• Discard spice bag and rosemary. With slotted spoon transfer pears and prunes to large (2 or 3-quart) warm jars, standing pears upright on the bottom layer and arranging the next upside down. Continue alternating until jars are filled.
• Boil syrup until reduced by about 3/4, (the equivalent of 1 bottle of wine. Stir cassis into syrup. Strain liquid through a double thickness of dampened cheesecloth; ladle it into jars, and seal them.
• Process jars in a boiling water bath: 1 hour for 2-quart jars, 1 hour and 10 minutes for 3-quart jars. Let them cool completely before checking seals and storing.

BOEUF BRAISE AU BEAUJOLAIS (BEEF BRAISED IN BEAUJOLAIS)

Steps:

• Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the meat in one layer. Add the cubed beef and cook over medium heat, stirring until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the pieces of meat to a heavy cast-iron kettle, add the onions, garlic, mushrooms and thyme. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the flour. Blend well and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine, beef or chicken stock, bay leaf, cloves and allspice. Blend well and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, over low heat for 3 1/2 hours to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

TARTE AUX PRUNEAUX (PRUNE TART --GASCOGNY)

Steps:

• To make the crust.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
• Cut in the butter, mixing with your finger tips or a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Add the water, drops at a time, until dough forms--add no more water than absolutely necessary.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a disc to fit at ten or ten and a half inch tart mold.
• Lay the dough over the mold and gently press it into place on the bottom and sides.
• Remove any excess dough and refrigerate the tart mold for at least one hour.
• To make the Filling:.
• Place the prunes in a bowl and cover with hot water; add the lemon juice and allow prunes to stand for about half an hour or until plumped.
• Drain and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy -- do not under-beat.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating continuously.
• Fold in the flour and the ground almonds and mix gently but well.
• Pour this mixture into the prepared tart mold, smooth the top with a spatula, and arrange the prunes on top.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the surface turns golden brown.
• Remove from over and pour the Armagnac over the tart.
• Cool for a few minutes, then brush the top with the warm apricot preserves to glaze.
• Serve at room temperature.
• Note: If the edges of your tart brown too quickly place a ring of foil over the crust.