Beet bourguignon: A French classic goes vegetarian

We have only one real complaint about Julia Child’s classic recipe for beef bourguignon, said David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl in Vegetarian Everyday (Rizzoli). Because it relies on beef and bacon for its intense flavors, it’s “not the most appropriate dish for vegetarians.”

Nourishing, vegetable-based cooking has served almost as the bedrock of our marriage. Before we met several years ago, one of us was an unhealthy vegetarian—“yes, they do exist”—and one was a health-conscious carnivore. So we had to map out a middle ground: The pizza eater would embrace whole grains and the meat eater would explore ways to give vegetables center stage. We’d cook dishes that were healthy and green, yet not boring. Soon, we started the blog GreenKitchenStories.com to record our discoveries.

We ended up changing one letter in “beef” when we decided to create a new take on Child’s stew. Besides substituting Chioggia beets for the beef, we added mushrooms for texture and flavor, then thickened the sauce with arrowroot. Sometimes we also serve it over a pureed mix of root vegetables.

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Recipe of the week

Beet bourguignon

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 small beets, peeled and quartered
• 6 carrots, cut into large pieces
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 2¼ cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups Puy lentils, rinsed
• 2–3 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 10 cremini mushrooms
• 10 pearl onions, peeled
• 2 tsp arrowroot dissolved in 2 tbsp water

In a heavy, large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Add beets, carrots, bay leaves, two sprigs thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste, red wine, and vegetable stock, and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another large pot, cover lentils with 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 15 minutes, until lentils are just tender, adding a pinch of sea salt for the last few minutes of cooking. Drain, cover, and keep warm.

In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tbsp oil over moderately high heat. Add mushrooms and pearl onions. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Season stewed beet mixture with salt and pepper, adding more wine, stock, or herbs to taste. Whisk in the arrowroot paste just until thickened. Add mushrooms and onions; simmer for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Transfer stewed vegetables and lentils to bowls and garnish with leaves from about three sprigs of fresh thyme. Serves 4.