La Camargue’s “Cowboy” Beef Stew with Black Olives
This full bodied, rich dish from the Camargue region of Provence and is sometimes known as Gardiane de Taureau because it’s made with ox-tail of the bull or El Toro or simply la Gardiane. Some people also make gardiane with lamb. In Córdoba in Andalusia, for example, there is another braised bull dish called rabo de toro with equally luscious flavors. Locally, I have not found any bull (meat, that is) so I am opting for a cut of stew beef to make this dish and, I will say this just once, that’s no bull.
The Camargue is located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the River Rhône delta. This is France’s cowboy country where tales are tall and meals are robust reflecting the history, local and people. The Camargue is considered to be Western Europe’s largest delta made up of large lagoons, cut off from the sea by sandbars and encircled by reed-covered marshes. The Camargue has its own eponymous horse breed, the famous white Camarguais ridden by the gardianes, or Camargue cowboys, who rear the region’s fighting bulls for export to Spain, as well as sheep. So this week’s dish is a hearty one that evokes memories from a wonderful part of France rich with tradition, food and wine. So “saddle up partner” and join me in a culinary trek through the Camargue and let’s prepare this dish.
Let me say at the onset this is another one of those dishes that is best prepared ahead of time and in this particular case ahead of time means 24hrs before. There are a number of approaches to this dish including some where the clock time is on the stove (4 hrs or so). I am intrigued with this recipe which I have adjusted by adding one or two little options for your consideration, and I believe the stewing of the meat for a day in a wine broth is as close as we can get to the original process without having, well, any bull around. Brave souls, let me know how it all worked out for you and if you still have friends and family.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
4 pounds oxtail (weighed with bone) or 3 pounds beef shank, well trimmed of fat and cut into 2- inch pieces (ask the butcher to do this for you)
2 medium onions cut into rounds
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bottle of full bodied red wine such as a Cotes du Rhone
5 sprigs fresh parsley, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, and 4 sprigs fresh savory or tarragon 2-3 bay leaves
Peel from 1 orange, without the white pith, in one long spiral (optional)
1 small to medium-size onion, peeled and studded with whole cloves (optional)
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 cup chopped imported pitted green olives
1cup chopped pitted black Niçoise olives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation:
On the day before serving this stew: Combine the meat, garlic, onions, carrots
and wine in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, stirring once or twice (especially once at midnight)
Three hours before cooking and the invasion of your guests remove the meat from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
Remove the meat from the marinate; drain well. Do not discard the marinade please.
In a large casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Brown the beef (shank or oxtail) on all sides, working in several batches, if necessary but just don’t crowd the meat in the pan this is not a contest.
Once all the meat has been browned, return it to the pan where crowding is now permitted. Add the thyme, bay leaves and tarragon, olives, tablespoon of tomato paste, the broth (and a small onion studded with cloves and orange peel -both of which are optional)
Pour the marinade ingredients over the meat; season with salt and pepper.
Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and barely simmer, half-covered, for 2 hours.
Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Transfer the stew to a deep serving platter.
Serve with boiled white rice, potatoes, or pasta.
Makes 4 to 6 servings depending on your cowboys’ hunger.