Introduction
Giuliano Bugialli was a food writer who popularized the authentic cuisine of Tuscany. His very first book was The Fine Art of Italian Cooking ((Bugialli, G, (1977). The Fine Art of Italian Cooking. New York NY: Times Books.)). I bought the book immediately when it appeared in 1977. For the next 15 years it inspired me most Saturdays. Although I will never know Mr. Bugialli firsthand, he died in 2019, I salute his accomplishment. You can learn more about Mr. Bugialli by following this link to his New York Times obituary: https://nyti.ms/2GUa09v.
Of the few dozen of his recipes that remain standards in my kitchen repertoire, I present this one: Leftover Boiled Beef with Leeks (Lesso Rifatto con Porri) found on pages 272-273 of his 1977 classic.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 large leeks
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) olive oil
- 1-1/2 pounds (maybe 600 to 700 grams) leftover boiled, or otherwise cooked in liquid, beef roast
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt and about six twists of ground pepper
Procedure
- Sliced the leeks into approximately 3/8-inch (approximately 10-millimeter) rings. Poke your finger through the rings to grossly separate them and submerge in a large amount of water. Change the water after a few minutes and then soak the leeks in the new water for 2 hours. Do not soak for less time.
- Drain leeks.
- Pour olive oil in bottom of a cast iron Dutch oven-type pot.
- Put some leeks in the pan, add the meat and then cover with remaining leeks.
- Spread salt and pepper over the meat and leeks and then cover the pot.
- I prefer to cook by putting the pot in a 325-degree F (163-degree C) oven.
- Check on the meat and leeks every 15 minutes after the first hour to make sure the leeks are not burning to the bottom of pot. Add small amounts of water if necessary.
- When the meat and leeks are cooked, remove the meat from the pot, slice, and put on a platter. Arrange the leeks around the sliced meat.
Photographs and Notes
Leeks
I don’t think the American Leek Council or my local market would approve this photograph. The leeks were three days from market and stored in paper in my basement. Although they look bad, cutting off a small bit of the root end and the dark green stalks redeems them. Then remove one outer layer by gently running a paring knife lengthwise through the skin.
Trimmed Leeks
Now they are ready for slicing.
Sliced Leeks
Ready for cleaning and soaking. Notice the dirt in some of the layers. The first soaking will wash out the dirt, especially if you poke your finger through the rings.
The First Bath for the Leeks
In this step the leeks are in the sink to remove the dirt
Leeks Getting Their Second Water
I am using reverse osmosis (RO) water here. I recommend purified water to avoid the leeks soaking up taste altering chemicals such as chlorine, iodine or minerals.
Leeks in Their Second Water
Now the leeks will absorb the water for two hours. In a later edition of the Fine Art of Italian Cooking, Mr. Bugialli recommended only one hour to soak the leeks. Perhaps, the publisher pressured him to shorten the time. I know from experience that adequately hydrating the leeks requires the full two hours.
Olive Oil in the Dutch Oven
I intended to use 60 grams, but I was a little heavy handed.
Leeks and Meat in Dutch Oven
The leeks, now drained after two hours of soaking, have retained sufficient liquid to combine the flavors together.
Ready for Cooking
Today I chose to use the outdoor oven (Big Green Egg®). Of course, stovetop on low heat or indoor oven will also work.
Sliced Meat after Cooking
After two hours the leek flavor has infused the meat.
Cooked Leeks
After the meat was removed. I should have stopped the cooking 15 minutes earlier judging by the overly browned bits.
On the Table with Risotto in Bianco and a Green Salad
The family and I can hardly wait to eat!
Spine of The Fine Art of Italian Cooking
After 43 years.
Title Page of The Fine Art of Italian Cooking
I love the photo of Mr. Bugialli making pasta. Yes, I learned to make homemade pasta from his book.
Well-worn
Although I just received a brand-new copy from https://www.abebooks.com, I will continue to use this beloved copy.
Endnotes
I hope you have enjoyed learning about this unique treatment of leftover beef and leeks.
If you are curious that I call Giuliano Bugialli “Mister” rather than “Chef,” he considered himself a food writer and not a chef.
I am very grateful for your kind attention to this post,
Buon Appetito,
Chef Michael DeCaria
Oh, my goodness. This post (along with its images) made my mouth water! The thought of sitting down to a risotto, green salad and leek flavor infused feast sounded better than winning the lottery. You go, Michael!
Years ago a friend of mine from Switzerland, a chef from a 4 star hotel, stayed with us for a week. Each day he would peer into my fridge, survey the ingredients then go to the market and purchase a few supplements for our evening meal.
Once he made a baked vegetable dish by layering leeks, tomatoes, cheese, olive oil and crushed pepper. Your recipe reminded me of this dish – simple yet flavorful. I view your cooking as an art form that took many years of practice to master. Carol is lucky!!!
Thank you for your comment and sharing the story of your chef friend. How talented of him; and to think you were able to participate first hand in his artistry! After the pandemic I must make this meal for you and Seth.