Beef Braised in Barolo Wine
What I love about this dish is that it can be served in two courses. For the first course, toss the pasta with hot sauce and top with cheese. For the second course, serve the beef with your favorite vegetables. I like green beans, eggplant, or roasted potatoes.
Serves 6
Wine Suggestion: Chianti, Barolo, Barbera, or Dolcetto
Ingredients
2 1⁄2 pounds beef for braising
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
5 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely cracked 1 bottle Barolo
1⁄4 cup diced lard or pork fat
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
Tie the bay leaves and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth. Tie a piece of string around the parsley. Place the meat in a bowl with the onions, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, and Barolo. Let sit in the refrigerator, turning from time to time, for 24 hours.
Preheat an oven to 325oF. Remove the meat from the marinade and dry well with paper towels. Reserve the marinade. Place the pork fat in a large heavy pan and when the fat begins to run, add the butter and olive oil. Add the meat and brown on all sides, 20 minutes. Season with salt.
In the meantime, place the marinade in a saucepan and reduce by half. Add the marinade to the beef over high heat and bring to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven. Cook until the meat is really tender and can be cut with a spoon, 2 to 3 hours.
When the meat is done, remove the meat from the pan and place on a warm platter. Cover with foil to keep warm. Remove and discard the cheesecloth and parsley. Run the sauce through a food mill or a blender. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and a few tablespoons of water. Add to the simmering sauce and stir until it thickens slightly.
To serve, slice the meat and place on a platter. Top with the sauce.
Serves 6 to 8
