Boeuf à La Niçoise Braised Beef Stew With Red Wine Tomato Olives And Buttered Noodles Recipes

BOEUF à LA NIçOISE: BRAISED BEEF STEW WITH RED WINE, TOMATO, OLIVES, AND BUTTERED NOODLES

Steps:

• Toss the beef in a large bowl with the cracked black pepper, 1 tablespoon thyme, the garlic, and the orange zest. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Take the meat out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. After 15 minutes, season it on all sides with 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt. Reserve the garlic and orange zest.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat for 3 minutes. Pour in 3 tablespoons olive oil and wait a minute or two, until the pan is very hot and almost smoking. Place the meat in the pan, being careful not to crowd it. (You will need to do this in batches.) Sear the meat until well browned on all sides. (This step is very important and should not be rushed; it will probably take 15 to 20 minutes.) As the batches of meat are browned, remove them to a baking sheet.
• Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, fennel, and carrot. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the crusty bits left in the pan. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and the reserved garlic and orange zest. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are caramelized.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the vegetables. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce to a glaze. Pour in the red wine and reduce it by half (about 5 minutes). Add the beef stock and bring to a boil.
• Add the meat to the pot. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one. Braise in the oven about 3 hours.
• While the meat is in the oven, cut the whole tomatoes in half lengthwise. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a baking dish in which the tomatoes will fit snugly. Place the tomatoes in the dish, cut side up, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Roast the tomatoes in the same oven for 1 1/2 hours, until they are shriveled and slightly caramelized on top.
• To check the meat for doneness, carefully remove the lid and foil, being aware of the hot steam. Spoon a piece of meat out of the pan and press it with your thumb or a spoon. If it's done, it will yield easily and almost fall apart. If it's not super-tender, cover again and return the pot to the oven. When in doubt, taste it!
• Take the pan out of the oven and uncover completely. Using a ladle, skim off the fat that rises to the top.
• Turn the oven up to 400°F.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
• Ladle half the braising juices into a large sauté pan and add the olives. Return the meat to the oven for 15 minutes to caramelize.
• When the water boils, cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Transfer the noodles to the pan with the braising juices and olives. Over medium-low heat, toss the noodles in the juices to coat well and bring to a low simmer. Stir in the butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Quickly add the spinach and a cup chopped parsley, and toss for just 1 minute, until the spinach begins to wilt.
• Transfer the pasta to a large warm platter. Spoon the meat and its juices over the noodles. Tuck the roasted tomatoes in and around the noodles and meat. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley over the top.

BOEUF À LA MODE (BEEF BRAISED IN RED WINE)

Steps:

• * Combine 1 cup each thinly sliced carrots, onions and celery, 2 halved cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 cup minced parsley and 2 whole cloves. Place half the vegetables and herbs in the bottom of an enameled, pyrex or porcelain bowl. Rub the meat with the salt and pepper and place it on top of the vegetables. Place the remainder of the vegetables on top of the meat. Combine five cups burgundy wine, 1/3 cup brandy and 1/2 cup olive oil. Pour over the meat and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning a number of times.Half an hour before cooking, drain the meat and rack. Just before browning dry it with a paper towel.Add 4 to 6 tablespoons cooking oil to a heavy roaster. Heat, then add meat and brown on all sides. Pour out the browning fat. Pour in the wine marinade and boil it down rapidly until it has reduced by half. Add one or two cracked veal knuckles, (optional), 4 to 8 ounces rind, then pour in enough beef stock (made from beef stock base) or bouillon to come two-thirds of the way up the beef. (4 - 6 cups). Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, skim, cover and place in a 350° preheated oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Turn the meat several times during braising. When beef is done, remove to a large serving platter and keep warm.Skim the fat off the braising juices and strain through a sieve into a saucepan. Boil rapidly until liquid is reduced to about 3 1/2 cups. Taste for seasoning. Combine 1 tablespoon corn starch with 2 tablespoons burgundy wine and stir into sauce for thickening. Then add carrots and onions (preparation of carrots and onions follows) and simmer for a few minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and arrange around meat. Garnish with parsley. Pour some of the sauce over the meat and serve the rest in a heated sauce boat.To cook carrots, place 2 to 3 pounds thickly sliced carrots in a saucepan with 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup water, 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and boil until carrots are tender.To cook onions, place 2 pounds small onions in a skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, then remove from skillet and braise in 1/2 cup beef stock or canned bouillon and a herb bouquet of 4 sprigs of parsley, 1/2 bay leaf, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme tied in a cheesecloth. Simmer slowly until onions are tender but retain their shape.When adding the carrots and onions to the beef sauce do not add the liquids from the vegetables.To hold meat for some time, slice, then pour on some sauce, cover with foil and place in a very low oven.Boeuf À La Mode may be served with buttered noodles, parslied potatoes or rice, and buttered green peas.

BEEF BRAISED IN RED WINE

Steps:

• Put beef, wine, onion, thyme, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and carrot in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out excess air, and put in a bowl. Marinate beef, chilled, 16 to 24 hours.
• Drain beef in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving marinade. Wipe off any solids clinging to beef, then pat beef dry. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Heat oil in a 3 1/2- to 4-quart heavy ovenproof pot with lid over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown beef well in 2 batches, without crowding, about 8 minutes per batch, transferring as browned with a slotted spoon to a plate.
• Reduce heat to moderate, then add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until shallot begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until shallot and flour are browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add reserved marinade liquid to flour mixture, stirring and scraping up brown bits. Add beef along with any juices accumulated on plate and cover with a round of parchment paper and lid. Simmer mixture while you prepare bacon.
• Cut bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch strips and cook in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is beginning to crisp. Transfer bacon with slotted spoon to beef (reserve fat in skillet). Re-cover beef with parchment and lid and braise in oven, 1 1/2 hours.
• While meat is braising, blanch pearl onions in a 3- to 4-quart pot of boiling water, 1 minute. Drain onions in a colander, then peel, leaving root ends intact. Cook onions in reserved bacon fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Pour off excess fat, then add 1/4 cup water and scrape up brown bits with a wooden spoon or spatula.
• After meat has braised 1 1/2 hours, add pearl onions (with liquid in skillet), remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to beef and continue to braise, covered with parchment and lid, until onions are tender and meat is very tender, about 1/2 hour more.
• Skim any fat from surface of beef and serve beef with buttered egg noodles sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley leaves.

RED WINE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Season the meat with salt and pepper, place in a large bowl, and toss with the flour.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or wide-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Cook the meat, in batches, until well browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes, transferring the pieces to a plate as they are browned. Pour off and discard any drippings from the pot.
• Add the tomato paste, wine, broth, onion, bay leaves, thyme, and 2 of the carrots and bring to a boil. Return the meat and any juices back to the pot (the meat should be barely submerged in liquid), cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
• Using tongs, remove and discard the cooked vegetables. Add the potatoes and the remaining 8 carrots to the pot, cover, and return to the oven. Cook until the meat and vegetables are fork-tender, about 1 hour more.