Baeckeoffe

Back in the days when laundry machines were not even a dream, women used to spend one day a week washing clothes. They didn’t have time to cook that day so they would make baeckeoffe ahead of time, cover the dish with a bread batter and leave it at the local bakery on their way to the lavoir. The baker would leave the dish in the oven to bake for the rest of the day. Even though the days of the lavoir are over, baeckeoffe is still around because it’s amazing.

500 gmbeef blade, cut into 5cm pieces550 gmdeboned lamb leg, cut into 5cm pieces550 gmpork loin, cut into 5cm pieces4 (about 500gm) leeks, white parts only, cut into 5cm rounds2large (600gm) Spanish onions, each cut into 8 wedges4 cloves garlic, finely chopped1bouquet garni (see note)750 mlAlsatian pinot blanc (see note)75 gmbutter1 kgdesiree potatoes, peeled and thinly slicedTo serve:mixed green leaf salad

Method

01Combine meats, leek, onion, garlic and bouquet garni in a large bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper, add wine, cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

02Preheat oven to 160C. Remove meat, vegetables and bouquet garni from the marinade, placing meat and vegetables each in separate bowls, reserving the marinade and bouquet garni. Heat 60gm butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, add meat and cook for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a bowl.

03Grease a 4 litre-capacity (30cm long x 23cm wide) cast-iron or ovenproof casserole dish with remaining butter. Layer one-quarter of potatoes in base and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add one-third of meat mixture, then one-third of vegetables and reserved bouquet garni, seasoning to taste. Repeat twice with remaining potatoes, meat and vegetables, seasoning to taste between layers, finishing with a layer of potatoes. Pour over reserved marinade, seal with foil, cover with lid and bake for 2½ hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Serve immediately with salad on the side.

Note For bouquet garni, tie together 1 small stalk of celery with leaves, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley and 1 sprig of thyme with kitchen twine. Alsatian pinot blanc is floral and dry in character. If unavailable, substitute with a dry pinot gris.

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