Wine Braised Brisket With Butternut Squash Food

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
• In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, broth, wine, salt, and pepper.
• In a large enameled Dutch oven (with a tight-fitting lid), heat the oil over medium heat. Place the meat in the pan to sear, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until it is evenly browned.
• Remove the meat and set aside. Line the bottom of the Dutch oven with onion slices. Place the brisket on top of the onion and pour the tomato mixture over the meat, making sure that the liquid covers the meat entirely. If you are using a larger pot and the liquid does not cover the meat and vegetables, add water until it does. Add the thyme sprigs.
• Cover and place in the oven for 3 1/2 hours, checking every hour or so to make sure the liquid is still covering the meat. If at any point it isn't, pour hot water into the Dutch oven to make sure the meat remains covered. After 3 1/2 hours, add the butternut squash, making sure to submerge it under the liquid. Cook for 1 hour more, then remove the pot from the oven. Let sit at least 45 minutes before slicing.
• Brisket tastes even better the next day, reheated in the oven. To serve, scoop out about 3 cups of liquid from the Dutch oven and place in a small saucepot. Cook over medium-low heat until it has reduced into a sauce. Serve the brisket and squash on a platter, with the sauce ladled over the top, and garnish with fresh herbs.

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET OF BEEF WITH CARAMELIZED PEARL ONIONS AND D

Steps:

• Season the brisket evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and continue boiling until it reduces to half its original volume, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Evenly sprinkle the brisket all over with flour, shaking off excess. Heat a heavy Dutch oven over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When it is almost smoking, turn the heat to medium-high, carefully add the brisket, and sear until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the brisket to a platter. Pour off the fat from the Dutch oven and add another 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, shallots, carrots, celery, and leek, and sauté until glossy and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add half of the apricots and all the parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and tomato paste, and continue to cook 1 minute more.
• Return the browned brisket to the Dutch oven and add the reduced wine and 2 quarts stock or broth. If the brisket is not completely covered with liquid, add enough extra stock, broth, or water to cover. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot and carefully place it in the oven. Cook until the brisket is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, blanch and peel the onions as instructed in the tips (see below), leaving them whole. Cut the remaining apricots into 1/4-inch strips.
• In a small sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat and sauté the pearl onions until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the apricot strips and pour in the remaining 1/4 cup stock or broth, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Cover and keep warm.
• When the meat is done, carefully transfer it to a heated platter, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm. Boil the liquid in the Dutch oven until it thickens and reduces to about 1 quart, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary with more salt and pepper.
• To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the brisket across the grain into 1/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices on heated serving plates or on a heated platter, spoon half the sauce over it, and garnish with the pearl onions and apricots. Sprinkle with minced parsley and pass the remaining sauce on the side.
• Wolfgang's Easy Tips:.
• • If you can't find a 5-pound brisket at your supermarket, cook 2 smaller pieces.
• • While the meat braises, keep the heat gentle since boiling tightens rather than relaxes the meat's fibers. Check the liquid in the cooking vessel and if it's bubbling more than slightly, turn down the heat. The results should be so tender that you can pull the meat apart with a fork.
• • To prepare the pearl onions, bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the pearl onions and blanch them for 30 seconds. Drain and immediately immerse them in a bowl of ice and water. Cut the very ends off at the stem ends, peel the onions, and leave them whole.
• • For neater slices, you could let the brisket cool before cutting it across the grain. Reheat the slices in the sauce. That makes brisket an ideal dish to prepare ahead. Just cook and slice it the day before, and reheat it in the oven in its sauce for about half an hour at 300°F before serving.

RED-WINE BRAISED BEEF BRISKET W. HORSERADISH SAUCE (SARA MOULTON

Steps:

• If using a slow cooker, skip this step entirely: place your oven shelf so your casserole or Dutch oven will be in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Fill a small saucepan with water, and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add the garlic cloves, bring back to a boil, and cook rapidly until slightly softened, about 1 minute.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to a bowl of ice water and peel when cool enough to handle.
• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large shallow dish or large platter.
• Coat the brisket on all sides with the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.
• Heat the oil in a large covered casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until almost smoking.
• Add the brisket and sear, turning often, until well browned, about 6 to 8 minutes per side.
• Transfer to a plate or platter and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
• Add the onions and the peeled garlic.
• Reduce the heat to medium and saute, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and stir to pick up any browned bits on the bottom of the casserole.
• Stir in the tomato paste and add the bay leaves and thyme.
• Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Cook rapidly, stirring often, until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
• At this point, if you're using a slow cooker, transfer the contents of the casserole into the slow cooker, set the cooker for time and temperature, add the chicken stock and the brisket, cover tightly with foil and then your cooker's lid, test for doneness with a fork (see step 20) and meanwhile continue to make the sauce (step 21).
• If not using a slow cooker, pour in the chicken stock and bring back to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the brisket.
• Cover tightly with a piece of foil, then cover the pot with the lid.
• Transfer to the lower third of the oven and cook until a fork comes out easily when pierced, 3 to 4 hours.
• To make the Horseradish Sauce: mix the horseradish, vinegar, mayonnaise, chives, and lemon juice in a small bowl.
• Stir well to blend and season with salt and pepper.
• You should have about 1 cup -- keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• Transfer the brisket from the casserole (or slow cooker) to a cutting surface and cover loosely with foil.
• Let rest for 15 minutes.
• Gently skim the surface of the liquid in the casserole with a spoon to remove as much fat as possible (or you can pour off [though a sieve] into a gravy separator, let it rest for 10-15 minutes and then pour off most of the fat; putting the separator and liquid into the freezer makes the separation happen even more quickly).
• Remove and discard the bay leaves.
• Thinly slice the brisket on an angle, cutting against the grain.
• Arrange the slices on a warmed serving platter or plate and spoon on some of the horseradish cream.
• Serve warm and enjoy the complements!

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Porcini: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until rehydrated, 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Gently squeeze the liquid from the rehydrated mushrooms with your hands and set the mushrooms aside. Pour soaking liquid through the cloth-lined strainer into the bowl. (The cloth will filter out any dirt and sediment from the mushrooms.) Set the soaking liquid aside.
• Vegetables: Cut onions into a large dice. Smash garlic, releasing the peel, then roughly chop; roughly chop mushrooms. Set aside.
• Brisket: In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Season brisket with salt and pepper on both sides. Sear brisket, fat side down, until golden brown, 5-10 minutes. Flip over and sear the other side, about 5 more minutes. Transfer to a roasting pan.
• Braising liquid: Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet, lower heat to medium, and add onions, garlic, mushrooms, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir in a pinch of salt and sauté until onions are translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add tomato paste, and stir constantly until caramelized, 2-3 minutes. Add red wine and bring to a simmer; cook until the liquid has nearly evaporated, 5-6 minutes. Add reserved porcini soaking liquid and chicken stock. Raise heat to medium-high and bring back to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour hot liquid over brisket and cover with foil. Braise in oven for 2-2½ hours, flipping the brisket once halfway through cooking. After 2½ hours, raise heat to 350 degrees F, remove foil, and continue cooking to brown, 30 minutes. Brisket should be very tender when pierced with a skewer.
• Assembly: Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly in braising liquid. Remove to a cutting board and thinly slice across the grain. Pour braising liquid over the meat before serving.

BRAISED BUTTERNUT SQUASH IN SPICED COCONUT GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook squash, a cut side down, until browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn onto other cut sides and cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and add shallots, garlic, and ginger to same skillet. Cook, stirring often, until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, salt, chile powder, cayenne, and turmeric. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; return squash to skillet and spoon some sauce over. Cover and cook until squash is fork-tender, 20-25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast almonds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• Remove squash from heat, uncover, and squeeze lime juice over. (If oil starts to separate from sauce while squash sits, gently whisk to emulsify before serving.) Top with almonds and cilantro. Serve with rice if desired.

RED WINE BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Season brisket with salt and pepper; in batches, cook, turning occasionally, until dark brown on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer brisket to a plate and discard fat from pot. Return pot to heat and add 2 teaspoons oil and shallots; cook, stirring, until shallots are browned, 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.
• Add wine and simmer rapidly until reduced by three-fourths, about 15 minutes. Return beef to pot and add just enough water to cover meat (5 to 6 cups). Bring to a boil, cover, then place pot in oven. Cook until beef is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

WINE-BRAISED BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Generously season brisket with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear brisket until browned, 4 to 5 minutes a side; transfer to a plate. Drain fat from pot and discard. Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, shallots, garlic, and potato starch and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add broth, mustard, zest, and thyme; bring to a boil. Add meat and any accumulated juices. Cover and transfer to oven; cook 2 hours, 15 minutes.
• Flip meat over; add vegetables. Cover and continue to cook until everything is very tender, about 45 minutes. (If you're saving it for the next day, let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Reheat, covered, in a 350 degrees oven until warmed through, about 40 minutes.)
• Transfer vegetables to a platter and meat to a cutting board; season with salt. Skim fat from liquid in pot. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Slice brisket against the grain and serve, with vegetables and sauce.

WINE-BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix thyme, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and rub the mixture over both sides of brisket.
• Heat olive oil in a roasting pan over medium-high heat; place brisket in the hot oil and brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove brisket from pan and set aside.
• Place red onion slices into the hot roasting pan and cook and stir until onion is slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in beef broth, tomato sauce, and wine.
• Place the brisket back into the roasting pan and cover pan with foil.
• Roast the brisket in the preheated oven for 1 hour; remove foil and baste brisket with pan juices. Place foil back over roasting pan and roast brisket until very tender and pan sauce has thickened, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours.