Brisket With Vidalia Onion Puree Food

CREAMED VIDALIA ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a stoveproof gratin dish over medium-high heat; add 4 pounds Vidalia onions (cut into wedges) and cook 5 minutes. Add a pinch each of nutmeg, cayenne, salt and black pepper, then add 3 tablespoons white wine and simmer 2 minutes. Whisk 1 1/4 cups half-and-half and 3 tablespoons flour; stir into the onions and bring to a boil. Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), 2 tablespoons chopped chives, and salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the onion, cover with parchment paper and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and broil until golden, 5 more minutes.

GARLIC-RUBBED SKIRT STEAK AND VIDALIA ONIONS WITH PEANUT ROMESCO

Steps:

• To prepare the steak, using paper towels, pat the steak dry and place in a large bowl; slather the garlic paste and olive oil all over the meat, turning to coat. Add the onions. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
• To make the romesco sauce, grind the peanuts in a food processor. Add the roasted peppers, tomato puree, garlic, bread, and paprika. Process into a paste. Add the vinegar and pulse to blend. With the motor running, gradually pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream until the mixture thickens like mayonnaise. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and then transfer to a serving bowl.
• When ready to grill the steak, scrape any excess garlic off the beef and discard. If using a charcoal grill, prepare the fire using about 6 pounds of charcoal and burn until the coals are completely covered with a thin coating of light gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Spread the coals evenly over the grill bottom, position the grill rack above the coals, and heat until medium-hot (when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill surface for no longer than 3 or 4 seconds). If using a gas grill, turn all the burners to High, close the lid, and heat until about 500 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes. If using a grill pan, heat the pan over medium-high heat.
• Cut the steak into one or more pieces if it is very large. Grill the meat and onions over direct heat until char lines appear, the meat is done to taste, and the onions are tender and charred, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (A vegetable basket will help keep the onions from falling through the grates if you're cooking over a gas or charcoal grill.) Let the steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing it across the grain. Serve the steak and onions with the romesco sauce on the side.
• Cook's Note: To prepare the garlic paste, place the unpeeled garlic on a cutting board, broad-side down, set the flat side of a chef's knife on top, and give the knife a quick whack with the palm of your hand to crush each clove. Remove the papery skin and trim away the tough basal plane at the end of the clove. Halve the garlic and remove any of the green shoot, if present, as it is bitter. Coarsely chop the garlic, then sprinkle it with a pinch of coarse salt. (The salt acts as an abrasive and helps grind the garlic.) Using the side of the knife like an artist's palette knife, press firmly on the cutting board and crush the garlic a little at a time. Repeat until the garlic is a fine paste.

CLASSIC BEEF BRISKET WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne. Season brisket generously on all sides with salt mixture. (Use about 2 tablespoons and reserve remaining mixture.) If possible, wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight, then bring to room temperature.
• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place brisket in a shallow roasting pan or earthenware baking dish. Pour wine and 2 cups water over the brisket, then add cloves, garlic, bay leaves and allspice berries.
• Scatter about 1/3 of the sliced onions over brisket. Cover with foil or a tight-fitting lid. Place in oven and bake for about 3 hours or until meat is quite tender when probed with a fork. (Be careful not to overcook; you want slices, not shreds.)
• Meanwhile, place a large skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Add remaining onions and season with remaining salt mixture. As onions begin to brown, reduce heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, turning onion slices with a spatula every few minutes until caramelized and fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to onions and simmer a few minutes more. (For more flavor, use broth from the brisket pan instead.) Onions may be prepared in advance and reheated.
• To serve, transfer brisket to a cutting board. Trim extraneous fat from meat. With a large knife, cut meat across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan (discard solids left in strainer) and skim any rising fat from surface.
• Arrange sliced meat on a platter. Cover with caramelized onions and ladle some hot braising liquid over. Garnish with parsley sprigs and sprinkle with scallions, if using. Serve remaining juices separately.

BAKED VIDALIA ONIONS

Steps:

• Quarter onions halfway through and open slightly. Place each on a 18x12-in. piece of heavy-duty foil. Place 2 teaspoons butter in center of each onion; sprinkle with salt, pepper and, if desired, garlic salt. Fold foil to seal tightly. Bake at 350° until onions are tender, 50-60 minutes. Open foil carefully to allow steam to escape.

BRISKET WITH VIDALIA ONION PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. To cook the brisket, in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat. Pat the brisket dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sear the brisket until a rich, dark brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove to a plate.
• Decrease the heat to medium, add the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to color and soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the paprika, bay leaves, and seared brisket. Add the beer and stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and bake until tender, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, adding more stock, if needed, so the meat does not dry out.
• Remove the brisket from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Remove and discard the bay leaves. In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the onions until smooth. Or, once the beef is removed, ladle the sauce and vegetables into a blender and puree a little at a time until smooth. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
• To serve, slice the brisket against the grain and serve with the onion puree.

THE ABSOLUTE BEST FRIED VIDALIA ONION RINGS

Steps:

• Slice onions into rings. In 1 bowl, mix together flour, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, beat egg yolk, then stir in milk and vegetable oil. Combine wet and dry ingredients, stir until smooth. In a third bowl, beat egg white until soft peaks form, then fold into egg-flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Dip onion rings into batter and deep fry.

ROAST BRISKET OF VEAL WITH ONION GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Prepare a roasting pan with nonstick pan spray.
• Scatter half the onion rings over the bottom of the pan. Place the brisket over the onions; sprinkle with pepper. Spread the remaining onions over the brisket. Stir the chili sauce and beer together and pour over the meat.
• Cover and roast until the veal is fork tender, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours, basting with the pan juices several times.
• Remove the brisket to a carving board. Skim the fat from the surface of the pan juices with a spoon. Transfer the defatted juices and onions to a saucepan and cook over high heat until slightly thickened and reduced to 2-1/2 cups.
• Thinly slice brisket across the grain; pour 1/4 cup of onion gravy over each serving.
• Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes.