Bue alla California: Artusi’s Italian Beef Stew

A slow-cooked beef dish with absolutely nothing to do with California! As Pellegrino Artusi himself remarked:

“Whoever devised this dish, perhaps not knowing what to call it, gave it this strange name; then again, almost all culinary terms are strange or ridiculous.”

This recipe comes from La scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), the best-known work by Pellegrino Artusi, one of the most influential figures in Italian culinary literature. First published in 1891, his cookbook remains a landmark in the history of Italian home cooking.

I served this dish for Christmas lunch, but until now I simply haven’t had the time to publish it. These days, whatever spare time I can devote to the blog is being spent sorting out the whole bilingual-language issue. I still have “only” a year’s worth of old posts to work through. At this rate, I’ll be finished by the time I retire!

This Bue alla California is made with simple, inexpensive ingredients, yet the result is a wonderfully rich dish, just right for a special meal. Everyone at the table enjoyed it, without exception, especially when served with a generous helping of mashed potatoes.

The quantities below are my own, refined after several attempts, rather than the original measurements given by Artusi.

Want another stew recipe? Check my Irish Guinness Beef Stew!

Recipe: Bue alla California

Yield: 5–6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes (estimate)
Resting time: None
Cooking time: About 3 hours
Total time: About 3 hours and 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 700 g lean boneless veal or beef, from the rump, sirloin or tenderloin

• 50 g butter

• 200 ml cream

• 200 ml water

• 1 tablespoon strong vinegar, or more if it is mild

• ½ onion, cut into four wedges

• 1 carrot, cut into small pieces

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Place the meat in a saucepan with the butter, onion and carrot. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Brown the meat well on all sides.

3. Pour in the vinegar. After a short while, add the water, followed by the cream.

4. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook slowly for about 3 hours. If the sauce becomes too reduced during cooking, add a little more water.

5. Remove the meat from the pan and slice it.

6. Pass the cooking sauce through a fine sieve and serve it alongside the sliced meat.

Serve hot with plenty of mashed potatoes to soak up the rich sauce.

Notes

• Artusi's original recipe allows for either veal or beef. Choose a lean, boneless cut suitable for long, slow cooking.

• The vinegar should be strong enough to give the sauce a little character. If yours is mild, you may need to use more than one tablespoon.

• Keep an eye on the sauce while the meat cooks and add a little water if necessary.