Pot-au-Feu (Boiled Meat and Vegetables)

Instructions

Push the cloves into the onions, which makes them easy to find and remove after cooking. Peel the onions, halve them, and set them cut side down in a frying pan lined with aluminum foil until the cut surfaces turn completely black. This gives the broth a faint smoky flavor and a golden brown color.

While the onions burn, peel the turnips and carrots and cut them with the celery into large pieces. Trim the roots from the leeks, wash the green parts well, and cut the leeks into 2 or 3 pieces, keeping the fibrous green parts. Leave the quarter of white cabbage whole.

Pack all the vegetables, the burned onions, the pepper and the bouquet garni into a pressure cooker, arranged as compactly as you can. Add enough water to cover them, but never fill the cooker beyond two thirds to three quarters of its capacity, so check your manual. If the vegetables cannot be fully covered, add as much water as fits.

Salt the water and cook the vegetables under pressure for 20 minutes. Cool the cooker under cold running water so it can be opened, then lift out the vegetables and set them aside. Discard the onions and the bouquet garni.

Taste the golden broth and adjust the salt and pepper. Keep in mind that it will change once the meat has cooked in it.

Add the beef to the broth and cook under pressure for 60 to 75 minutes. If you are using marrowbones, cook them separately, or add them to the pot with the meat for the last 5 minutes under pressure.

Cool the cooker under cold water and open it. Remove the meat, return the vegetables to the broth, and bring it to a boil to reheat them while you slice the beef.