Daube Provençal, a light but hearty beef stew from the South of France

WINTER IS BEING ESPECIALLY WINTRY RIGHT NOW, and that has us thinking of stews. One we like a lot comes from Provence, in the south of France. Daube Provençal. Unlike the other classic French beef stew of the Burgundy region, Boeuf Bourgignon, made with mushrooms, bacon, pearl onions, carrots and a big-bodied red wine, Daube Provençal is made with white wine, orange zest, cloves and olives, giving it a distinctively brighter flavor. And it’s often served over egg noodles.

Another thing that sets it apart from Boeuf Bourgignon is that it is traditionally made in a daubiere, a bulbous clay pot rested in the dying embers of a wood fire to slowly cook the stew. Although since fewer people cook over wood fires these days, there are now daubieres made of copper. Honestly, they look like, well, copper pots.

We don’t have a daubiere, clay or copper, but otherwise we tried to follow traditional recipes as closely as possible. The results were delicious, lighter than most beef stews, but still meaty and hearty. Perfect for wintry winter. You’ll find our recipe and more about that bulbous clay pot right here.