Braised Anise Beef I Food

CHINESE-STYLE BRAISED BEEF ONE-POT

Steps:

• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, shallow casserole. Fry the garlic, ginger, onions and chilli for 3 mins until soft and fragrant. Tip onto a plate. Toss the beef in the flour, add 1 tbsp more oil to the pan, then brown the meat in batches, adding the final tbsp oil if you need to. It should take about 5 mins to brown each batch properly.
• Add the five-spice and star anise (if using) to the pan, tip in the gingery mix, then fry for 1 min until the spices are fragrant. Add the sugar, then the beef and stir until combined. Keep the heat high, then splash in the wine or sherry, scraping up any meaty bits. Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2.
• Pour in the soy and stock (it won't cover the meat completely), bring to a simmer, then tightly cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 1½-2 hrs, stirring the meat halfway through. The meat should be very soft, and any sinewy bits should have melted away. Season with more soy. This can now be chilled and frozen for up to 1 month.
• Nestle the cooked bok choi into the pan, then bring to the table with the basmati rice straight away and tuck in.

ASIAN BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Mix together the flour, five-spice powder and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss the beef in the flour mixture and set aside.
• Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
• To the pot, add the ginger, chili paste, garlic and scallion whites. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Deglaze with the sherry, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, soy sauce, honey, star anise and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the seared beef, cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook until the meat is falling apart, about 2 hours.
• Serve over rice, garnished with the reserved scallion greens.

BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Then saute garlic and onion until slightly tender. Add the chunk of beef and sear the meat in hot oil on all sides, about 5-7 minutes total.
• Add the rest of the ingredients except for the carrots, cornstarch and spring onions and bring to a simmer, cover pot with lid and turn the heat to low. Let it cook for 40-50 minutes or until the meat is fork tender. You may need to add some water if beef is not yet tender at this point.
• Stir in the carrots and cornstarch mixture and boil the sauce for about 5 minutes or until reduced and becomes thick.
• Serve on top of steamy rice bowls and garnish with some chopped spring onions.

RICH BRAISED BEEF WITH MELTING ONIONS

Steps:

• Dust the beef in flour, then set aside. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and fry for 5 mins. Add the sugar and cook for 5-10 mins, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelised. Stir in the garlic for the final few mins.
• Pour in the stock and stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the beef and mushrooms, then season, adding plenty of black pepper. Cover and cook gently for 2 hrs until the meat is tender. Can be chilled for up to 3 days. To freeze, cool and store in freezer bags. Thaw and reheat in a pan. Serve scattered with parsley.

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.

BEEF SHANKS BRAISED IN SOY SAUCE WITH CINNAMON AND STAR ANISE

Steps:

• In a 9-quart kettle combine water, soy sauce, Scotch, sugar, gingerroot, scallions, cinnamon, zest, and star anise and simmer mixture 10 minutes. Add beef shanks and cook, partially covered with lid 1/2 inch ajar, at a bare simmer 2 hours, or until meat is very tender.
• About 15 minutes before meat is done, in a large bowl soak noodles in warm water to cover 5 minutes and bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Drain noodles in a colander and boil them 5 minutes. In colander drain noodles and rinse under cold water. Drain noodles well and transfer to large bowl.
• Transfer meat with a slotted spoon to cutting board. With slotted spoon remove gingerroot, scallions, cinnamon sticks, zest, and star anise from broth and discard. Add carrots and turnips to broth and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to noodles. Boil broth until reduced to about 7 cups. While broth is reducing, discard bones and gristle and cut meat across grain into thin slices.
• Divide noodles, vegetables, and meat among 8 bowls and ladle broth over them. Sprinkle mixture with coriander.

BRAISED BEEF IN HONEY & SOY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof casserole or sauté pan, then spend a good 10 mins browning the meat well on all sides.
• Scatter the vegetables, thyme, coriander seeds and cloves in amongst the meat and continue to cook over a high heat for 10 mins until browned.
• Pour over the Sherry vinegar, soy sauce and Madeira, and drizzle over the honey. Stir everything together, then reduce over a high heat until it's sticky and syrupy and the meat is coated really well. Stir in the tomato purée.
• Pour over the stock and bring to the simmer. Stir, then taste and lightly season with salt accordingly (it may not need any as the soy is already salty). Cover the pan and place in the oven for 2½-3 hrs, stirring once or twice, until the meat is really tender. Remove the meat to another pan or container. Boil the sauce for 10 mins until sticky, then strain it over the meat.
• About 20 mins before serving, drizzle the bok choi with half the oil and the soy sauce and dust with the icing sugar. Grate over a little of the ginger, then toss well until completely coated.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan, add the bok choi and cook until the sugar coating starts to caramelise. Pour in the stock and simmer for 5 mins until tender. Reheat the mash and the beef. You are now ready to serve.
• Lift the meat out of the sauce and carve into thick slices. Place a large spoonful of mash on the side of each plate. Lay a few slices of meat on the mash. Sit two bok choi quarters on the other side of the plate and spoon over the sauce.