Pot-au-Feu

Ingredients

• 2 lb bone-in beef shank
• 2 lb beef chuck roast
• 2 onions, 1 halved and 1 left whole
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 carrots, halved
• 3 parsnips, peeled and halved
• 2 turnips, peeled and halved
• 2 leeks, trimmed
• 1 small cabbage, quartered
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled
• 1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, and bay leaf tied together)
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• Coarse salt, to taste
• Dijon mustard and cornichons, to serve

Before you cook

• Char the halved onion cut-side down in a dry skillet over high heat until blackened, then stud it with the cloves.

Steps

1. Place the beef shank and chuck roast in a large stockpot and cover generously with cold water.
2. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam that rises for 10 minutes.
3. Add the charred onion, the whole onion, bouquet garni, garlic, and peppercorns.
4. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 2 hours.
5. Add the carrots, parsnips, turnips, and leeks.
6. Simmer for 45 minutes more until the meat is tender and the vegetables are cooked.
7. Boil the potatoes separately in salted water for 20 minutes until tender, so the broth stays clear.
8. Boil the cabbage separately in salted water for 10 minutes until tender.
9. Season the broth with salt to taste.
10. Strain the broth into a separate pot, discarding the onions and bouquet garni.
11. Ladle the hot broth into bowls and serve it first as a starting course.
12. Arrange the meat, carrots, parsnips, turnips, leeks, cabbage, and potatoes on a large platter.
13. Serve the platter with coarse salt, Dijon mustard, and cornichons on the side.