Zinfandel of Beef

Julia Child. The way to cook. Page 236.

It is a chunky stew of beef in red wine.

1. Brown the meat (3-4 lbs of boneless beef stew meat cut into cubes). Turn often to brown all sides.
2. Transfer the pieces to the casserole.
3. Skim the fat, leave a spoonful and add 2 cups of slices onions, 2/3 cup of sliced carrots. Toss and stir to brown for 3-4 minutes.
4. Pour one cup of beef stock into the frying pan, swishing and scraping up any juices. Transfer the vegetables from the pan into the casserole with beef. Add 3 large unpeeled cloves of garlic (smashed).  Add 4 cups of red wine (Zinfandel or other young red wine). Add 2 cups of tomatoes (1 cup of whole unpeeled tomato, cored and chopped, and 1 cup of Italian canned drained plum tomatoes). Add 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp thyme and salt to taste. The liquid should almost cover the beef.
5. Bring to simmer on the stove top.
6. Stew in the oven 325F for 2.5 - 3 hrs
7. Pour the contents of the casserole into a colander set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole. Return beef in it.
8. Season the liquid in sauce pan if it needs any more seasoning. You should have about 3 cups. Boil rapidly. Remove from heat.
9. You can add Beurre-manie sauce in it the liquid. (Recipe to follow in the next post)
10. Serve over pasta, rice, or small boiled potatoes.

Wine: Zinfandel, Beaujolais, Macon.

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Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Source: Food Network Magazine, Feb 2010

Ingridients:

8oz Rice Noodles

12 oz Beef Sirloin

Sea Salt and Pepper

1 large onion

1 4-inch piece of ginger, unpeeled, halved

3 cups beef broth

3 star anise pods

1 cinnamon stick

4 scallions

2 jalapeno peppers

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2-4 tablespoon fish sause

1 cup fresh been sprouts

1.Season beef with salt and pepper. Sear beef 2-3 minutes on each side (high heat). It should still be rare.

Transfer beef to a plate. Add 1/2 the onion and ginger to the same pot and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add beef broth and 3 cups of water, anise, cinnamon stick, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.Slice scallions, jalapenos and cilantro. Slice the meat thinly. Slice 1/2 the onion.

3.Cook rice noodles and drain.

4. Add fish sauce to the broth and boil for 5 minutes. Discard ginger, anise, cinnamon stick and cooked onion.

Divide noodles among 4 bowls. Add beef, broth, scallions, uncooked onion, cilantro, been sprouts. Jalapenos as needed.

334 calories per serving

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