Recipes From the Root Cellar_ 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables - Andrea Chesman [123]
½ cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
2–3 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
1 small rutabaga, peeled and thickly sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
About 1 cup beef broth (page 125)
2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour
3 tablespoons water
1 Mix the garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the meat and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
2 Preheat the oven to 275°F.
3 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides until dark and crusty, about 20 minutes.
4 Remove the meat from the pan. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the meat to the pan and cover.
5 Roast in the oven for 2 to 3 hours, turning the meat every half hour, until the meat is tender. The timing varies, depending on the cut and shape of the roast. You can tell the meat is tender when a fork pierces the meat without much resistance. Add the carrots, rutabaga, parsnips, and turnips, and continue to roast about 1 hour longer, until the vegetables are tender and the meat is almost falling-apart tender.
6 Transfer the meat and vegetables to a platter and cover to keep warm. To make gravy, pour the pan juices into a tall glass measure. Discard the bay leaves and skim off any fat from the surface. Add enough beef broth to make 2 cups of liquid. Return to the pan and bring to a boil. Make a paste of the flour and water. Stir in the flour paste and boil until the liquid in the pan is thickened.
7 Slice the meat and serve with the vegetables and gravy.
Never bolt your door with a boiled carrot.
— Irish proverb
Mustard-Braised Short Ribs with Root Vegetables
Serves 4 or 5
Short ribs benefit from the low-slow cooking that fills the house with an aroma promising a hearty meal after a long day of cold-weather activities. Like pot roast, it is excellent on the second day and can be made ahead. Risotto, polenta, barley, and mashed potatoes all make excellent accompaniments.
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3–4 pounds beef short ribs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, diced
½ cup beef broth or chicken broth
(pages 125–27)
½ cup red wine
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
4 cups peeled and diced mixed root vegetables (carrots, celery root, golden beets, parsnips, rutabagas, salsify, and/or turnips)
1 whole garlic head, cloves separated and peeled
1 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Brown the ribs on all sides, adjusting the heat so the ribs brown well but do not burn.
2 Transfer the ribs to a plate. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
3 Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden in color, about 10 minutes. Stir in the broth, wine, and mustard, and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Return the short ribs to the pan, sprinkle the thyme and rosemary over the meat, and cover.
4 Braise in the oven for about 2 hours, until the meat is very tender when pierced with a fork. Add the vegetables and garlic and continue to braise for 45 to 60 minutes longer, until the meat is practically falling off the bone and the vegetables are tender.
5 Pour off the liquid and skim off the fat. Return the liquid to the pan. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and reheat if necessary. Serve hot.
Kitchen Note: A fat separator is a wonderfully convenient tool. It is a narrow, clear pitcher with a pouring spout that emerges from the bottom. The fat rises to the top, and you pour off the stock from below the fat. I find a quart-size fat separator to be much more useful than a cup-size one.
Reuben Pie
Serves 4–6
You’ve heard of Reuben sandwiches, but sandwiches are