Wine Braised Beef With Celery Root Puree Recipes

BEEF BRAISED IN RED WINE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
• Heat oil in pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
• Meanwhile, pat meat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Brown meat in hot oil on all sides, about 10 minutes total. (If bottom of pot begins to scorch, lower heat to moderate.) Transfer to a plate using a fork and tongs.
• Add pancetta to oil in pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sauté, stirring, until garlic begins to soften and turn golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add water and bring to a simmer, then return meat along with any juices accumulated on plate to pot. Cover pot with lid and transfer to oven. Braise until meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer meat to a cutting board. Skim fat from surface of sauce and discard along with herb stems. Boil sauce until reduced by about one third, about 5 minutes, then season with salt. Cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices and return to sauce.

BRAISED CELERY ROOT PURéE WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a small pot, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the porcini and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and set aside. Rinse and chop the mushrooms.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and add all but 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Peel, quarter and cut the celery root into 1/4-inch-thick slices and add to the water.
• Place a large, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil, then add the leek, onion, garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
• Drain the celery root and add it to the onion mixture with the reserved mushroom broth and milk. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise until the celery root is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Using a blender or immersion blender, carefully blend the mixture to a smooth purée. (For a finer texture, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.) Place the pot over low heat and simmer until it reaches the consistency of porridge. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil. Add the fresh mushrooms and sauté until the water releases and evaporates. Add the rehydrated porcini and chopped thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, place a few spoonfuls of the purée on each plate and drizzle with truffle oil, if using. Top with mushrooms and Parmesan.

DANIEL BOULUD'S SHORT RIBS BRAISED IN RED WINE WITH CELERY DUO

Steps:

• 1. Pour the wine into a large saucepan set over medium heat. When the wine is hot, carefully set it aflame. Let the flames die out, then increase the heat so that the wine boils; allow it to boil until it cooks down by half. Remove from the heat.
• 2. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F.
• 3. Warm the oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Season the ribs all over with salt and the crushed pepper. Dust half of the ribs with about 1 tablespoon flour. Then, when the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well-browned. Transfer the ribs to a plate. Repeat with remaining ribs. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot, lower the heat under the pot to medium and toss in the vegetables and herbs. Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
• 4. Add the wine, ribs and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and place in the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours or until the ribs are very tender. Every 30 minutes, skim and discard fat from the surface. (It's best to make the recipe to this point, cool and chill the ribs and broth in the pan overnight; scrape off the fat the next day. Rewarm before continuing.)
• 5. Carefully transfer the meat to a platter; keep warm. Boil the pan liquid until it has reduced to 1 quart. Season with salt and white pepper and pass through a fine strainer; discard the solids. (The ribs and sauce can be combined and kept covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Reheat gently, basting frequently, on top of the stove or in a 350°F oven.)
• 6. To serve, spoon the celery root puree into the center of 8 plates and top each with a short rib. Cross 2 pieces of braised celery over each serving. Pour the sauce onto the plate around the puree.