Baeckeoffe
By: Barnaby Dorfman
Published: Thursday, December 31, 2009 - 12:10pm

Ingredients




1 pound lamb stew meat, cubed
1 pound veal stew meat, cubed
1 pound pork loin, whole
1 pig's foot, sliced in half lengthwise
2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 mediums onions
1 bouquet garni
1 egg
1 bottle of dry white wine
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

Preparation

1 Marinate the meat a day ahead: season the lamb shoulder, veal and pork loin with coarse salt and pepper and place in a large non-reactive container; add the bouquet garni and white wine, cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. 2 Drain the meats, reserving the marinade and bouquet garni. Heat a little oil in a skillet, add the meat and brown on all sides. Peel the potatoes and cut into large round slices. Peel and slice the onions thinly. 3 Preheat the oven to 325° F. 4 Place half the potato slices in the bottom of a large earthenware casserole, season with coarse salt, add the sliced onions, then the pig's foot (cut into 6), the marinated meats, the bouquet garni, and finally the remaining sliced potatoes. 5 Pour in the marinade and add enough cold water to come to about one inch below the second layer of potatoes; season these with coarse salt, cover. 6 Prepare the luting paste: gradually blend the cold water into the flour with a wooden spoon to form a soft paste. Roll luting paste out into a long "rope" and seal the casserole pressing it into the seam of the lid. Brush the luting paste with beaten egg and water. 7 Bake in oven for 2.5 hours. 8 When the baeckeoffe is cooked, break the seal, take off the lid, remove and slice the meats, arrange them in the casserole on top of the potatoes, and serve.

About


Baeckeoffe was once a French peasant dish, when meat was rare and every cut was used. Traditionally families would take advantage of the opportunity to use the residual heat of the town baker's oven while they washed their clothes at the river. Today baeckeoffe has become a famous dish associated with the Alsace region of France. Traditionally cooked in the oven in an earthenware dish, you can use a dutch oven or even a slow cooker, but without the luting which needs to be baked. Presenting the earthenware dish or dutch oven with the luting seal at the table makes for a dramatic presentation. As you crack the luting and remove the lid, your guests will be impressed with the wonderful aroma and delicate flavors of the baeckeoffe! Feel free to experiment with the mixture of meats, even chicken is quite good in this dish.