Making Beef Stew: English Cooking Vocabulary and Listening Practice B1 (Slow and Fast versions)

 

Vocabulary 1: Verbs
A. Dice (verb) couper en dés: Cut food into small square pieces.
B. Fry (verb) faire frire: Cook food in hot oil or fat.
C. Sauté (verb) faire revenir: Cook food quickly in a little oil. 
C. Boil (noun) ébullition: A state when a liquid bubbles strongly.
D. Simmer (verb) faire mijoter: Cook food slowly in hot liquid.
E. Stir (verb) remuer: Move food around with a spoon.
F. Add (verb) ajouter: Put something together with other things.
G. Pour (verb) verser: Make a liquid flow into something.
H. Season (verb) assaisonner: Add salt, pepper, or spices to food.
I. Thicken (verb) épaissir: Make a liquid thicker.
J. Serve (verb) servir: Give food to someone to eat.
K. Set aside (phrasal verb) mettre de côté: Put something somewhere to use later.
L. Turn the heat down (expression) baisser le feu: Reduce the cooking temperature.

 

Vocabulary 2:

M. Stew (noun) ragoût: A dish cooked slowly in liquid.
N. Crispy (adjective) croustillant: Firm and crunchy when you eat it.
O. Broth (noun) bouillon: A liquid made by cooking meat or vegetables.
P. Herbs (noun) herbes aromatiques: Plants used to add flavor to food.
Q. Tender (adjective) tendre: Soft and easy to cut or eat.
R. Starch (noun) fécule: A substance used to make a sauce thicker.
S. Vegan (adjective/noun) végétalien / végétalienne: Not eating or using animal products.

Discussion
1. Do you like stews? Why or why not? Aimez-vous les ragoûts ? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas ?

2. What is your favorite stew? What are the ingredients? How do you make it? Quel est votre ragoût préféré ? Quels sont les ingrédients ? Comment le préparez-vous ?

3. What ingredients do you not like to put in a stew? Quels ingrédients n’aimez-vous pas mettre dans un ragoût ?

4. Is there a special stew in your country? How is it different from other stews? Existe-t-il un ragoût spécial dans votre pays ? En quoi est-il différent des autres ragoûts ?

5. Are you a vegan? If so, what are your reasons? If not, why? Êtes-vous végan(e) ? Si oui, pour quelles raisons ? Si non, pourquoi ?

6. How would you describe your food preferences? Are you a meat lover, a vegetarian, or a flexitarian? Comment décririez-vous vos préférences alimentaires ? Êtes-vous amateur de viande, végétarien/végétarienne ou flexitarien/flexitarienne ?

TRANSCRIPT

I decide to make a traditional French beef stew called beef bourguignon. First, I dice the onions and fry some bacon in a large pot until it is brown and crispy. I remove the bacon and set it aside. Then, I sauté the onions, garlic, and beef in the same pot. I pour some beef broth and red wine into the pot and add the bacon, carrots, and herbs. I stir everything and bring the stew to a boil. Then, I turn the heat down and let it simmer for about two hours, until the beef is tender. I season the stew with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thin, I thicken it with a little starch. Finally, I serve the hot stew with potatoes and fresh French bread. My family enjoys the delicious meal.

Man: Oh, I forgot to tell you. I’m vegan. I can’t eat that.

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