Braised Beef With Pears And Fresh Ginger Recipes

CHINESE BRAISED BEEF WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Heat a little of the oil in a large flameproof dish. Add the beef chunks, in batches, and fry until browned. When each batch is browned, transfer the beef to another dish. Very roughly chop the onions, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks. Put in a food processor and whizz to a paste.
• Wipe any oil out of the dish you browned the beef in. Add the paste with a good splash of water and gently fry, scraping up any beef bits, until the paste is fragrant and softened (add more water if the paste sticks). Stir in the five-spice, star anise and peppercorns, cook for 1 min, then add the sugar, soy sauces and tomato purée. Return the beef and any juices to the dish, then stir in enough stock to just about cover. Bring to a gentle simmer. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Cover the dish, put in the oven and cook for 21⁄2 hrs until the beef is really tender.
• Lift the beef out of the sauce into a dish, to keep warm. Boil the sauce until reduced by about half and thickened. Meanwhile, fry the ginger in the oil until golden and crispy. Return the beef to the sauce. serve the beef spooned over rice and scattered with the crispy ginger.

BRAISED BEEF WITH PEARS AND FRESH GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Stand neck bones (close together for support), meat side up, in row in heavy large roasting pan. Brush meaty tops with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Broil until meat is deep brown, turning pan for even cooking, about 12 minutes. Transfer bones to rimmed baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Place roasting pan over 2 burners. Add 1/4 cup oil, onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté over medium-high heat until tender and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer 1 cup vegetable mixture to small bowl and reserve for sauce.
• Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir 30 seconds. Add wine and boil until reduced to glaze, about 5 minutes. Return neck bones to pan, arranging flat side down in single layer. Nestle in herb sprigs, bay leaves, and juniper berries. Top with pig's feet, cut side down. Pour broth over and bring to boil.
• Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and place in oven. Braise until meat is very tender and falling off bones, about 3 hours. Using tongs, transfer neck bones to rimmed baking sheet to cool. Discard pig's feet.
• Strain pan juices into large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer to release all juices; discard solids. Spoon all fat off surface of pan juices, reserving 1 tablespoon fat for sauce. Return juices to roasting pan. Boil over 2 burners until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes, occasionally stirring up browned bits. Transfer juices to large pot. Add reserved 1 cup vegetable mixture. Stir 1 tablespoon reserved fat and flour in small bowl to smooth paste; whisk into sauce. Boil until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, about 12 minutes. Add pears to sauce. Simmer pears, uncovered, until tender, about 8 minutes.
• Pull all meat off bones; cut meat into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Mix meat into sauce in pot. DO AHEAD: Stew can be made 1 day ahead. Cool 1 hour; cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing.
• Spoon stew into large bowl. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

POACHED PEARS WITH GINGER AND PORT

Steps:

• Peel gingerroot and slice thin. Cut slices into thin strips and in a saucepan simmer in 1 quart water 10 minutes. Drain gingerroot and discard water.
• In a saucepan just large enough to hold pears lying on their sides bring 3 cups water to boil with gingerroot, sugar, Port, and lemon juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Peel pears, leaving stems intact, and cut a thin slice from bottom of each if necessary to enable pears to stand upright when served. Arrange pears on their sides in poaching liquid, adding enough of remaining water as necessary to just cover. Simmer pears, turning them occasionally, until tender, 20 to 40 minutes depending on ripeness. Carefully transfer pears with a slotted spoon to a bowl and boil poaching liquid until reduced to about 3/4 cup and slightly syrupy. Pour sauce over pears. Pears may be made 1 day ahead and cooled in sauce before being chilled, covered. Serve pears warm or chilled.

BRAISED PEARS

Steps:

• Bring the liquid and spice to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the peeled pears, steams on.
• Simmer for 15 minutes. The pears should be covered with the liquid, so use the right pot (thick bottomed pot).
• After simmering, remove from heat and cool the pears in the liquid.
• Turn into a bowl that will keep the pears covered in the sauce and refrigerate covered with saran wrap.
• Marinate for a day or two.
• Remove sauce and keep pears in the fridge covered.
• Bring sauce to a simmer and reduce by half.
• Chill sauce and pears until ready to service.
• Serve in martini glasses with good vanilla ice cream.
• Pour warm sauce over the pears.