Spicy Beef Shanks With Julienne Carrots Recipes

SAUERBRATEN WITH JULIENNE VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Trim the beef of excess fat, salt it and set aside. Make a marinade by combining red wine, vinegar, water, onions, peppercorns, juniper berries, bay leaves and cloves in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Let this marinade cool to room temperature. Place the beef in the now cooled marinade, cover, and refrigerate, overnight if possible, but for at least 2 hours.
• Remove the meat from the marinade and set aside on a utility platter. Strain the marinade into a pot, bring to a boil, and skim, then reduce to a simmer.
• Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the beef and sear it on all sides, then remove to a utility platter. Combine the carrots, onion, and celery in the same pan to make a mirepoix. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, deglaze pan with a small amount of the warmed marinade, then add the tomato paste and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add a bit more of the warmed marinade to the saute pan to de-glaze, and reduce heat to medium. Add the flour gradually until a paste is formed. Then, slowly add all of the warmed marinade to the mixture, similar to making a roux. If the sauce is too thick, which can sometimes happen due to density of flour, gradually add chicken or vegetable stock until you reach the consistency where it coats the back of a spoon. Return the meat to the pan, cover and simmer until fork-tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Remove meat and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Strain the sauce, place slices of meat on serving plate, spoon sauce around and garnish with steamed vegetables and dollops of sour cream. Serve with cooked egg noodles as an accompaniment.

GARLIC-BRAISED BEEF SHANKS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Pat shanks dry and rub all over with salt and pepper.
• Dredge shanks in flour, turning to coat. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then brown shanks on all sides in 3 batches, adding 1/2 tablespoon oil if necessary, 5 to 6 minutes per batch.
• Transfer shanks to a large roasting pan.
• Add broth and water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits.
• Nestle garlic (cut sides down), zest, thyme, and bay leaves with celery and carrots around shanks in pan and add broth mixture. Cover surface with a sheet of parchment paper and tightly cover pan with foil. Transfer to oven and braise until meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid and cool mixture completely, uncovered, about 1 hour, then chill, covered, at least 6 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (leave rack in middle position).
• Skim off and discard any remaining fat from surface of pan juices and reheat shank mixture, covered, in oven, turning shanks over once, 1 hour.
• Discard bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and zest. Transfer shanks and vegetables with garlic to a serving dish and keep warm, covered.
• If pan juices measure more than 3 cups, boil in a cleaned 12-inch skillet until reduced; if less, add water. Squeeze garlic pulp from 1 head into pan juices, discarding skin, and whisk to incorporate.
• Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour sauce over shanks and serve, along with vegetables and remaining garlic heads.
• Cooks' note: Braised shank mixture can be chilled, covered, up to 2 days.

SPICY CRISPY BEEF

Steps:

• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, salt and pepper together. Mix thoroughly. Toss the steak slices in the cornstarch mixture and coat well.
• Deep fry the coated steak slices until golden brown. Check to make sure they are cooked through. Remove from oil, and set aside.
• In another mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine and honey. Add sugar, chili paste, water, and ginger. Mix well and set aside.
• Heat a wok or deep frying pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, and quickly saute the onion, garlic and red pepper for 30 seconds. Add the sauce mixture, and cook another 30 seconds. Finally, add the strips of fried steak and toss to heat through and coat with sauce.

BRAISED BEEF SHANK WITH WINE AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Heat an oven-proof deep skillet with a lid over medium-high heat on the stove; add olive oil. Season beef shank with salt and pepper. Cook beef shank in the hot oil until browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer beef shank to a plate.
• Saute onion and celery in the same skillet until onion starts to get translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour wine over onion mixture and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
• Return beef shank to onion-wine mixture; add beef broth and pour in enough water to cover 1/2 to 3/4 the beef shank. Sprinkle tarragon over shank; cover skillet with lid.
• Bake in the preheated oven until meat is falling off the bone, at least 5 hours. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

SPICY BEEF SHANKS WITH JULIENNE CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• In a heavy ovenproof kettle large enough to hold beef shanks in one layer arrange shanks and season with salt and pepper. Roast meat, covered tightly, in middle of oven 2 1/2 hours, or until tender. (Meat will give off juices as it cooks.)
• Stir Worcestershire sauce into pan juices and cool meat, covered partially, basting it as it cools. Transfer meat with a slotted spoon to a platter and discard bones and gristle. Skim fat from pan juices. Return meat to pan juices and heat, covered partially, over moderate heat until just heated through.
• In a steamer set over simmering water steam carrots, covered, 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender, and transfer to a bowl. Toss carrots with butter, horseradish, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Divide carrots among 4 plates, mounding slightly, and arrange meat over them. Drizzle meat with pan juices.

ASIAN BRAISED BEEF SHANK WITH HOT AND SOUR SHREDDED SALAD

Steps:

• The point of a stew, it should go without saying, is its flavour rather than its form. So while the crunchy salad strips of carrot, scallion and bell pepper, do bring colour and beauty to the otherwise brown study, their texture and Asian-flavoured bite provide the perfect partner for the rich aromatic spiciness of the soft-braised stew beneath.
• Cooking the shin on the bone gives me a certain primitive pleasure, and the meat even more melting tenderness, but you can buy cubed beef shank off the bone (or other stew meat, if you must), in which case, you won't need as much in weight.
• Along with the stew and its crunchy, hot and sour topping, I serve gingery mashed parsnip and potatoes, the ginger offering a muted echo of the South East Asian tones. While a plain bowl of rice would be a fine alternative, know that the aromatic mash makes for fantastic, fiery potato patties the day or so after.
• For the beef: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Quarter and peel the onions, and peel and roughly slice the ginger and put into the processor with the peeled garlic cloves and coriander. Blitz until finely chopped, then heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and fry this mixture gently, until soft and beginning to catch in the pan; this should take about 10 minutes, over medium heat and with regular stirring.
• Pour in the Chinese wine (or sherry) and let it bubble up. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, broth, oyster sauce and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then drop in the cinnamon sticks and star anise. Add the pieces of beef shank and let everything come up to a bubble again, then clamp on a lid and put into the oven for 2 hours (regular stew steak may take longer).
• Take the Dutch oven carefully out of the oven and, using a perforated spoon, remove the beef to an ovenproof dish, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm in the oven, while you vigorously boil the sauce in the Dutch oven on the stove, without a lid, until it has reduced by about half.
• For the salad: Peel the carrots, cut into long slices, and then julienne them (i.e. cut into matchstick-like strips). Trim and halve the scallions and then julienne as well. Seed the chillies and also cut into juliennes, and finely chop the cilantro. Combine all the julienned vegetables and the chopped cilantro in a bowl. In another bowl mix the lime juice, fish sauce and superfine sugar, and dress the vegetables with this.
• For serving: Arrange the beef on a serving platter and pour over the reduced sauce over the meat, then dress the top with the hot and sour shredded salad. If you are using cubes of stew meat, rather than slices of shank, you'd probably do better to use a deeper dish.
• Make Ahead Note: Cook the beef for 1 3/4 hours then transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover, refrigerate and store in refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to use, return the beef to the Dutch oven and heat gently until sauce is just boiling. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes, or until the beef is piping hot. Transfer meat to an ovenproof dish and finish sauce as directed.
• Freeze Note: Cook and cool as above then freeze for up to 3 months in airtight container. Thaw overnight in fridge and reheat and finish as above.

BEEF CONSOMMé WITH HERBED CREPES JULIENNE

Steps:

• Make consommé:
• Make 2 crêpes (procedure follows) with the herbed crêpe batter and cut them into julienne strips. In a baking pan spread the shanks, the onions, and the carrot, brown the mixture well in a preheated 450°F. oven, and transfer it to a kettle. Add 2 cups water to the baking pan, deglaze the pan over moderately high heat, scraping up the brown bits, and add the liquid to the kettle with 3 1/2 quarts cold water, the celery, the salt, and the cheesecloth bag. Bring the water to a boil, skimming the froth, and simmer the mixture, adding boiling water if necessary to keep the ingredients barely covered, for 3 hours. Add the chicken and enough water to cover the mixture and simmer the mixture, skimming it, for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is reduced to about 2 quarts. Remove the chicken and reserve it for another use. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids, and let it cool. Chill the stock, remove the fat,and clarify the stock.
• To clarify stock:
• In a kettle combine the stock, the shells, the egg whites, the scallions, and, if necessary, salt and pepper to taste. Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring, simmer the stock, undisturbed, for 20 minutes, and ladle it through a fine sieve lined with a double thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth into a bowl. Makes about 6 cups clarified stock.
• In a large saucepan heat the consommé over moderately low heat until it is hot and serve it garnished with the chives and the julienne herbed crêpes.
• To make crêpes:
• In a blender or food processor blend the flour, the broth, the eggs, the butter, and the salt for 5 seconds. Turn off the motor, with a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the container, and blend the batter for 20 seconds more. Transfer the batter to a bowl, stir in the herbs, and let the batter stand, covered, for 1 hour. The batter may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Makes enough batter for about 16 crêpes.
• Heat a crêpe pan or non-stick skillet measuring 6 to 7 inches across the bottom over moderate heat until it is hot. Brush the pan lightly with the butter, heat it until it is hot but not smoking, and remove it from the heat. Stir the batter, half fill a 1/4-cup measure with it, and pour the batter into the pan. Tilt and rotate the pan quickly to cover the bottom with a layer of batter and return any excess batter to bowl. Return the pan to the heat, loosen the edge of the crêpe with a spatula, and cook the crêpe for 1 minute, or until the top appears almost dry. Turn the crêpe, cook the other side lightly, and transfer the crêpe to a plate. Make crêpe with the remaining batter in the same manner, brushing the pan lightly with butter as necessary. The crêpes may be made 3 days in advance, kept stacked, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled.

JULIENNE OF CARROTS WITH SNOW PEAS

Steps:

• Slice the carrots into julienne strips about 1 1/2 inches long.
• Place the carrots in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer 4 minutes. Add the snow peas, bring to a boil, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Drain.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and add the carrots, snow peas, garlic, soy sauce, scallions and pepper. Stir and cook 1 minute. Serve.

SPICED BEEF STEW WITH CARROTS AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Generously season beef with salt and pepper. Dust with flour and shake off excess. Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high, and swirl in 2 tablespoons oil.
• Add half of beef in a single layer and cook, turning a few times, until browned in places, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving fat in pot. Brown remaining beef; transfer to plate.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Swirl remaining 1 tablespoon oil into pot, still over medium-high heat. Cook onion and bell pepper until onions are golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and berbere seasoning and cook, stirring frequently, until tomato paste is caramelized, 1 minute. Add Worcestershire sauce and wine; boil until mostly evaporated.
• Return beef and any accumulated juices to pot along with broth. Bring to a boil. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook 1 1/2 hours. Remove pot from oven and stir carrots into stew. Cover and continue cooking in oven until beef is fork-tender and carrots are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour more. Stir in chickpeas; return to oven for 5 minutes more, just to heat through.
• Ladle stew into shallow bowls, sprinkle with mint, and serve. Cooled stew can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated up to 2 days, or frozen up to 3 months.

SPICY LAMB SHANKS FOR THE CROCKPOT

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, remove the orange part of the peel from 1 of the oranges . Cut the peel into thin strips (should have about 1/4 cup); set aside. Squeeze the juice from both oranges to make about 2/3 cup.
• In a small bowl stir together orange juice, broth, cardamom, cumin, salt, turmeric, and pepper. Set aside.
• Place carrots, onions and garlic in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart crockery cooker. Top with lamb shanks, strips of orange peel and cinnamon sticks. Pour orange juice mixture over all. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or until lamb pulls easily from the bone.
• When ready to serve, transfer the lamb shanks and vegetables to a serving dish using a slotted spoon. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. Measure 1 1/2 cups juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Combine water and cornstarch; add to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Spoon sauce over lamb and vegetables. Sprinkle with olives and cilantro. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
• NOTE: To make it easier to peel onions, place onions in a saucepan with water. Bring to boiling and cook for 30 seconds. Slice off the root ends and squeeze onions from peels.