France's national one-pot dish — beef macreuse simmered with marrow bones and root vegetables for three hours, served as two courses: clear broth first, the meat and vegetables second. Sunday lunch in working-class Paris.
Serves 6Prep 30 minCook 4 hr
Affiliate links — CarneAtlas may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg macreuse à pot-au-feu, in 2 large pieces
- 2 marrow bones
- 1 onion, quartered (with skin)
- 4 carrots, halved lengthways
- 2 leeks, white parts halved
- 1 small celeriac or 1/2 head celery, quartered
- 2 turnips, halved
- 1 bouquet garni (parsley stalks, thyme, bay)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- Coarse sea salt
- Cornichons, Dijon mustard, coarse salt to serve
- Toasted baguette for the marrow
Method
- 1Place the meat in a large stockpot, cover with cold water (about 4 litres), and bring slowly to a simmer.
- 2Skim the surface scum carefully for the first 20 minutes — this is what gives a clear broth.
- 3Add the marrow bones, onion, peppercorns, and bouquet garni. Reduce to the gentlest simmer (a bare quiver). Cook covered for 2 hours.
- 4Add the leeks, carrots, turnips, and celeriac. Continue cooking another 60 to 75 minutes until everything is tender. Season with salt to taste.
- 5Lift the marrow bones out carefully. Scoop the marrow onto toasted baguette slices, sprinkle with coarse salt — this is the cook's reward.
- 6Strain a ladle of broth per person into bowls and serve as the first course.
- 7Serve the meat sliced thick and the vegetables alongside, with a pot of cornichons and Dijon mustard.
Chef's tip
Never let the broth boil hard — at boiling, fat emulsifies and clouds the broth and toughens the meat. The surface should barely move.