Beef à la modeorbœuf à la mode is a French dish of a piece of beef braised in stock and wine with carrots and onions.[1]
In French recipes, the preferred cut is the pointe de culotte, the rump cap. In older recipes, it is invariably larded. Most recipes start by marinating the meat in wine.[2] It is first browned in fat then braised in a liquid composed primarily of stockorbroth and red or white wine with carrots, onions, and herbs. Modern recipes often include celery. Some recipes add tomatoes,[3] while others add brandy or other distilled spirits. Most French recipes include a boned calf's foot to add gelatin to the braising liquid, which serves to thicken the resulting sauce.[4][5][3][6]
To finish the dish, the braised beef is removed and set aside to rest. Meanwhile, the braising liquid is strained and reduced to a sauce. The beef is sliced and served with this sauce. In simple versions à la ménagère 'housewife style', the vegetables from the braising liquid are served as the garnish. In more elaborate versions à la bourgeoise 'classy style', the vegetables that have cooked with the meat are strained out, and freshly cooked carrots and onions are added.[5]
The braising liquid varies from all-stock, to about 1:3 wine to stock,[6][5] to all wine.[3] One American recipe from 1896 uses just water.[7]
In English, the dish was formerly called both『beef à la mode』and『à la mode beef』(sometimes spelled "alamode").[8] In French, it is now often called boeuf mode.[1][9]
^ abTrésor de la langue française informatisé, s.v. 'mode' I.B.2b
^Beef à la Mode in Food & Wine By Russ Crandall- October 2014
^ abcAcadémie des Gastronomes et Académie culinaire de France, Cuisine française, "Le livre officiel des deux Académies", 1971, ISBN9782253003175, p. 256
^French Regional Cooking. Anne Willan. (1981). ISBN0688036708
The dictionary definition of a la mode at Wiktionary
