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Big Night

Creamy Polenta 
Combine 3½ cups 2% reduced-fat milk; 1¼ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth; and 1 teaspoon salt in large saucepan; bring to boil. Gradually add 1¼ cups instant polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in ¾ cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and ¼ cup mascarpone cheese. Serve immediately.
 
 Garden Salad

Milanese Braised Beef

This Italian recipe features the classic pairing of red wine with beef. A juicy stewing cut, such as chuck or top round, is slowly roasted in the casserole pot with wine and a few seasonings until tender. The added vegetables make this a complete meal. The flavor only gets better with time, so cook ahead, if you prefer, and store up to three days in the refrigerator before serving.

Milanese Braised Beef Photo by: Photo: Beau Gustafson; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed
  • 1 cup (1/4-inch) cubed pancetta (about 4 ounces)
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 2 cups Chianti
  • 1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
  • 3 sprigs fresh basil
  • 3 sprigs fresh marjoram
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 carrots, peeled and diagonally cut into (3/8-inch-thick) slices (about 12 ounces)
  • 6 parsnips, peeled and diagonally cut into (3/8-inch-thick) slices (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 300°.

2. Combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, and cloves, stirring well. Make several small slits on outside of roast with a paring knife; stuff with pancetta and garlic slices. Roll roast; secure at 1-inch intervals with twine. Sprinkle roast with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat surface of roast with flour mixture, patting with your hands so it adheres.

3. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add roast to pan; cook 15 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Add onion to pan around roast; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in wine and broth. Place basil, marjoram, and bay leaf on a double layer of cheesecloth. Gather edges of cloth together; tie securely. Add cheesecloth bag to pan; bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours, turning roast every 45 minutes. Nestle carrots and parsnips in pan; cook 1 hour or until roast is tender enough to cut with a spoon.

4. Transfer roast and vegetables to a platter. Discard twine; keep beef warm. Strain wine mixture through a sieve into a large bowl; discard cheesecloth bag. Return wine mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes. Combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

Wine note: Pinot noir is a nice match for this classic casserole because the dish incorporates many flavors found in pinot (cinnamon, cloves, meat, black pepper, bay), plus the wine's hint of cherry is a sumptuous contrast to the savoriness of all those slow-cooked beefy flavors. A favorite pinot: Cambria "Julia's Vineyard" Pinot Noir 2006 ($24) from California's Santa Maria Valley. —Karen MacNeil

Cooking Light JANUARY 2009

Formal Menu Top Big Night

Milanese Braised Beef

Cooking Light

Formal Menu Bottom

Shopping List for Big Night

This Italian-accented menu feeds a crowd. Make the beef a day ahead; then reheat and serve. (Serves 10)

Creamy Polenta 
Combine 3½ cups 2% reduced-fat milk; 1¼ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth; and 1 teaspoon salt in large saucepan; bring to boil. Gradually add 1¼ cups instant polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in ¾ cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and ¼ cup mascarpone cheese. Serve immediately.
 
 Garden Salad

Shopping List:

Baking

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Dairy

  • 1 tablespoon butter

Deli

  • 1 cup (1/4-inch) cubed pancetta (about 4 ounces)

Meat

  • 1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed

Produce

  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced

Spices

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

Recipe List

Milanese Braised Beef

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