Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [185]
Beef Rolls with Red Cabbage and Chianti Wine
For 4 servings
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic chopped very fine
4 to 5 cups red cabbage shredded very fine
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1 pound beef round, sliced extra thin, preferably by machine
6 ounces sliced boiled unsmoked ham
6 ounces sliced Italian fontina OR comparable tender, fine-flavored cheese
Round sturdy toothpicks
⅔ cup Chianti or other fruity, full-bodied, dry red wine
1. Choose a sauté pan that can later accommodate all the beef rolls without overlapping. Put in 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the garlic, stirring occasionally, until it becomes colored a very pale gold.
2. Add the shredded cabbage, salt, and liberal grindings of pepper, turn the cabbage over completely a few times to coat it well, put a cover on the pan, and turn the heat down to low. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the cabbage becomes very soft and has become reduced to half its original bulk, approximately 45 minutes.
3. While the cabbage is cooking, assemble the beef rolls. If the meat is not truly thin, flatten it some more with a meat pounder. Trim the slices into shapes more or less square with sides approximately 3 to 4½ inches long, and lay them flat on a platter or work surface. Over each square place a slice of ham and a slice of cheese, neither of which should protrude beyond the edge of the beef. Roll up each square and fasten it with 1 or 2 toothpicks or tie it with string like a miniature roast.
4. When the cabbage is done, transfer it to a plate, using a slotted spoon or spatula. Put the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan, turn on the heat to high, and put in the beef rolls. Turn them as they cook to brown them all over.
5. Return the cabbage to the pan, add the wine, and a little more salt and pepper. When the wine has bubbled for about 15 seconds, turn the heat down to low and put a cover on the pan. Cook until the wine has been totally reduced, about 10 minutes. Serve promptly in a warm platter with all the juices of the pan.
Ahead-of-time note You can cook the rolls up to this point several hours in advance, and reheat them briefly before proceeding to the next step. You may also cook the dish through to the end, and when ready to serve it a few hours later, reheat it gently in its juices.
Note It’s possible that some of the cheese will run out of the beef rolls while they are cooking. It’s not a cause for concern; mix the cheese into the cabbage, thus enriching the sauce for the beef.
Pot Roast of Beef Braised in Red Wine
For 6 servings
Vegetable oil
4 pounds boneless beef roast, preferably chuck
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons onion chopped very fine
3 tablespoons carrot chopped very fine
2 tablespoons celery chopped very fine 1½ cups dry red wine (see note below)
1 cup or more Basic Homemade Meat Broth, prepared as directed, OR ½ cup canned beef broth plus ½ cup or more water
1½ tablespoons chopped canned imported Italian plum tomatoes
A pinch of dried thyme
¼ teaspoon fresh marjoram or ⅛ teaspoon dried
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Wine note This pot roast is a version of Piedmont’s stracotto al Barolo and an ideal rendition of it would call for Barolo in the pot as well as Barolo in your glass. If you must make a substitution, try to use another Piedmontese red, such as Barbaresco or a fine Barbera. Other suitable choices: Rhone wine, California Syrah or Zinfandel, or Shiraz from Australia or South Africa.
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Put in just enough vegetable oil in a skillet, tilting the pan in several directions, to coat the bottom well. Turn the heat on to high and when the oil is hot enough that a slight haze forms over it, slip in the meat. Brown it well