That’s right folks, my old beret is back on my head, my walking stick in hand and a backpack full extra socks, a few chocolate bars, a large chunk of cheese, bread and some rough country red wine. My friend Luc insisted I borrow his rather grisly looking knife which he said he used to quietly kill bears out in the desert somewhere. Yea right Luc, even I know there no bears in the desert, but good story anyway. I think it’s a bit overkill and I know Luc is probably enjoying himself at my expense with his Basque stories, and cuthroat thieves hidding in the countryside just waiting for me. Where in God’s name am I going this time and is this really worth the meal that awaits me? If all goes well, and I don’t end up in someones else’s stew, I will make it to Saint-Jean de Luz just in time for dinner which is being prepared for me in honor of my safe arrival by Luc and and his lovely wife Anais. They chose to drive down instead and are likely having a good laugh or two at my expense with me looking for bears and highway thieves. Now for this dish which is a traditional Basque dish from the canton of Espelette. So of course there is an element of spice throughout from chilies to piment d’Espelette, that wonderful hot spice with a truly unique flavor. It makes the dish.
Axoa or “Achoa” – Basque Ragoût
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 lbs veal (shoulder cut will do or be creative and improvise)
2 large onions
1 large red pepper
8 green chilies (or 4 hot/4 mild or 2 hot/6 mild or 8 hot -get the idea?)
4 garlic cloves
Piment d’Espelette in powder form (substitute with Spanish Paprika and red pepper powder)
1/4 – 1/2 lb of smoked ham (optional)
2 bay leaves
Thyme
1/2 cup white wine or so
1 cup of veal or beef stock
olive oil (if not using the ham lard as lubricant)
salt
Directions:
Cut veal into cubes, dice your onions, slice red pepper and chilies into strips.
Heat your pan then add your cubed pieces of ham and as the fat start melting add your chopped onions sweat them until they talk; add in the veal cubes. Cook for 10 minutes or so.
Add your sliced pepper and chilies strips, bay leaves, piment, thyme, chopped garlic and mixed well.
Add in the white wine and a slice of dried “piment d’Espelette” and reduce.
Add your beef or veal stock, reduce and cook gently covered for 20 minutes. Season with salt as needed.
Add a little bit of corn starch if needed. News flash: We are still not eating bay leaves so remember to remove them before serving unless your preparing someones last meal.
Serving suggestions: Boiled parsleyed potatoes, simple and sure.
Serving suggestions: Boiled parsleyed potatoes, simple and sure.
** Post Mortem – Holy piment Batman this was incredible and super easy to put together. I have half the dish left over for tonight and I know it’s going to out perform last night. I was out of veal for some reason so fell back on a trusted poulet. Perfect. I was hungry and willing to overlook a minor discrepancy.
Now about those wines…
Irouléguy from Domaine Arretxea (red) – this is about a close as you can get to pairing the right wine with the right local. Any closer you would be in the pan.
Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Perle d’Aurore – a Crémant is a wonderful “champagne-like” that would pair very well with this rough and hardy dish and tame it to perfection.
Château Haut-Marchand 2006, Bordeaux – a great wine from the Targon region pairs well with this spicy dish and holds its own quite comfortable. A nose of blackberry confit with hints of vanilla. Deep tasting notes of solid tanins, with hints of pepper, cedar, kirsch and fruit.