Braised Beef And Pasta With Italian Mushroom Sauce Food

BRAISED ITALIAN-STYLE POT ROAST

Steps:

• To prepare the sacchétto di spezie:
• Combine all the ingredients in the center of a piece of cheesecloth that is large enough to hold the herb sprigs, and tie in a bundle with butcher's string.
• To prepare the pot roast:
• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then lightly dust with flour. Melt the butter in a large (6-quart) flameproof casserole set over medium-high heat. When it is foaming, add the beef and brown it on all sides, 5 minutes. Add the celery, onions, carrot, and sacchétto di spezie. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the bottle of wine. Cook until the wine begins to boil, about 2 more minutes, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.
• 3. Strain the porcini mushrooms through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the liquid. Rinse the mushrooms under cold running water to remove any grit, and add them to the casserole along with the strained mushroom liquid, tomato paste, and tomatoes. The liquid should just cover the meat. If it does not, add chicken broth or water. Cover the casserole and bake it in the oven until the meat is cooked through and tender, about 2 hours. Remove the meat from the casserole to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside.
• 4. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the vegetables and herb bag. Pour the broth back into the casserole and set it over high heat. Bring to a boil and add the arrowroot and the 1/4 cup wine. Cook to reduce and thicken the liquid, about 5 minutes. Carve the meat into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve immediately, spooning some of the broth over each portion.

ITALIAN BRAISED BEEF WITH ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• For Yia Yia's Sunday sauce: Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef bones. Add the onions and cook until translucent, 2 minutes. Add the salt and garlic and cook until everything is soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Squeeze the tomatoes one by one into the pan, pulverizing them by hand, and pour in their juice, too. Add the wine, oregano, red pepper flakes, if using, black pepper and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to its lowest possible setting, and continue to cook for 8 hours. The sauce should reduce by about one-third. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Remove the bones and bay leaf. Set aside 2 cups. If not using the remaining sauce right away, let it cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months. Yield: 8 cups.
• For the braised beef with root vegetables: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Sprinkle the meat liberally with salt and pepper as much as 1 day in advance. (Cover and refrigerate it if doing so and take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.) Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is on the verge of smoking, sear the meat for about 2 minutes per side. Move the meat to the side (or remove it from the pot altogether if necessary), and add the carrots, celery root and onions. Brown the vegetables for about 3 minutes, and then add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Add Yia Yia's Sunday Sauce, 1 cup water and the bay leaves (and the pot roast if you removed it). Bring the liquid to a simmer and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for 3 hours, basting the meat occasionally during cooking time. When almost ready to serve, make the rigatoni, if using. Boil in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Discard the bay leaves before serving. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and slice into bite-size pieces, or shred with 2 forks. Return the meat to the pot of sauce along with the drained rigatoni. Toss to coat, and serve.

RED WINE BRAISED BEEF AND PASTA GRATIN

Steps:

• For the Beef: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and cook on both sides for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add all of the wine to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, add all of the remaining ingredients, except the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid, braise on the stove top or place in the oven and let braise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until very tender. Remove the meat to a plate and strain the cooking liquids into a bowl. Clean out the pan and add the strained liquid into the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat until reduced by 1/3. Return the meat to the pan and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.
• For the Pasta Gratin: Place milk and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes, then remove the garlic. Melt butter in a small saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream and cook over medium-high heat until thickened, season with salt and pepper and nutmeg, remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place cooked pasta in a buttered medium flameproof baking dish, add the sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle the Gruyere over the top of the pasta then sprinkle the Parmesan over the Gruyere. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil, rotating the dish, until the cheese is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with chives.

ITALIAN BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, saute mushrooms in butter for 3 minutes. Add green onions and garlic; saute 2 minutes longer. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, water, wine or broth, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in beef. Cover and simmer 10 minutes longer or until meat is heated through. Serve over noodles.

TASTY ITALIAN BEEF AND PASTA

Steps:

• Cook the pasta until nearly soft. Put in the base of a casserole dish after they have drained well.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan; add the onions, garlic and the curry paste. Stir for a minute or so, and then add the ground beef.
• Stir until meat is seared, remove from heat.
• Put the can of tomatoes with the juice into blender and blend just for a few seconds. Add tomatoes, water, stock cubes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt and pepper, stir well.
• Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes; stir in the grated cheese. Keep stirring until cheese has melted. Thicken with some corn flour if the sauce looks too thin.
• Cover the pasta with the meat sauce,add the extra grated cheese over the top and bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes.
• Serve with a salad and crusty bread rolls.
• This recipe freezes well and can be heated in the microwave, if preferred.

ITALIAN BEEF WITH SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute zucchini and garlic in oil until zucchini is crisp-tender. Add the beef, tomatoes and salad dressing; cook and stir until heated through. Serve with spaghetti. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

BRAISED BEEF AND FETTUCCINE WITH ITALIAN MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Season steaks with salt and pepper. Press 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese evenly onto steaks. Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; brown evenly. Remove.
• Spray same pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add wine; cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in sauce. Return steaks to skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until beef is fork-tender.
• Carve steaks into slices. Serve beef and 2 cups sauce over pasta; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Pass remaining sauce.