Meat Entrees

Wine Braised Brisket

Sunday, March 17th, 2013

Serves 8-10

Another great brisket recipe. Easy to prepare a day of two ahead of time. I think it makes the flavors blend better too.

4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles striped from the stem and chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (4 pound) beef brisket, first-cut
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 large carrots, cut in 3-inch chunks
3 celery stalks, cut in 3-inch chunks
4 large red onions, halved
2 cups dry red wine
1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, hand-crushed
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

On a cutting board, mash the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt together with the flat-side of a knife into a paste. Add the rosemary and continue to mash until incorporated. Put the garlic-rosemary paste in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil; stir to combine.

Season both sides of the brisket with a fair amount of kosher salt and ground black pepper. Place a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium-high flame and coat with the remaining olive oil. Put the brisket in the roasting pan and sear to form a nice brown crust on both sides. Lay the vegetables all around the brisket and pour the rosemary paste over the whole thing. Add the wine and tomatoes; toss in the parsley and bay leaves. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 3 to 4 hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until the beef is fork tender.

Remove the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scoop the vegetables out of the roasting pan and onto a platter, cover to keep warm. Pour out some of the excess fat, and put the roasting pan with the pan juices on the stove over medium-high heat. Boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is reduced by 1/2.

Slice the brisket across the grain (the muscle lines) at a slight diagonal. Serve with potato pancakes.

Tags: brisket, Meat, passover, red wine
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Garlic and Citrus Chicken

Sunday, March 17th, 2013

Garlic-and-Citrus-Chicken

Serves 6

1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 orange, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, lemon, and garlic halves. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

Place a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the rack in the pan. Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting occasionally and adding some chicken broth to the pan, if necessary, to prevent the pan drippings from burning. Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, oil, oregano, and chopped garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Brush some of the juice mixture over the chicken, after it has baked 1 hour. Continue roasting the chicken until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, basting occasionally with the juice mixture and adding broth to the pan, about 45 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Tent with foil while making the sauce (do not clean the pan).

Place the same roasting pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in any remaining broth and simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Strain into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and discard the solids. Spoon the fat from the top of the sauce. Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.

Tags: chicken, passover
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One Pot Cinnamon Chicken

Sunday, March 17th, 2013

cinnamon-chicken

Serves 4

My sister sent me this recipe from the website Goop.com, Gwenyth Paltrow’s website. I didn’t try it yet but it looks great for Pesach.
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes
½ cup chicken broth
1 cinnamon stick
ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
parsley to garnish

Preparation

Wash and dry chicken. Season with salt, pepper and a light sprinkling of ground cinnamon on each side. Coat large pot with olive oil and place over high heat. When oil is hot, sear chicken pieces for 1 minute on each side, until the skins are browned. Remove chicken pieces from pan and set aside.

Lower heat to medium-high and add onions. Stir for a minute until soft, then add garlic. Let cook for another minute until translucent. Add cinnamon stick, tomatoes, broth and season with salt and pepper. Stir and bring to simmer. Add chicken pieces back into the pot, submerging into the liquid. Simmer for about 2 hours, until chicken is falling off the bone.

Garnish with parsley.

Tags: chicken, cinnamon, passover
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Garlicy Roast Chicken with Rosemary

Sunday, March 10th, 2013

rosemary-chicken

Serves 6
1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped, plus 3 whole fresh rosemary sprigs
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 (5-to 6-pound) whole chicken

Combine chopped rosemary and garlic, peppercorns and salt in mortar and crush with pestle or blend in mini processor until coarse paste forms. Mix in oil. Rinse chicken; pat dry. Rub herb mixture all over the chicken, both under the skin and on top. Make sure to coat both sides.

Place rosemary sprigs in 13x9x2-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Place chicken, skin side up, atop rosemary sprigs in dish.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Roast chicken uncovered until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer chicken to platter and serve.

Tags: chicken, garlic, passover, rosemary
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Sweet and Sour London Broil

Sunday, March 10th, 2013

Serves 8 -10

The marinade tenderizes the meat. Also, slice it thin for best results.

1 cup cola
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1/2 small white onion, grated
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic, chopped (from 3 garlic cloves)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup safflower oil, plus more for grill
1 London broil (5 to 6 pounds; 2 1/2 inches thick)

Combine cola, vinegar, onion, garlic, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the oil in a bowl. Place steak in a large resealable plastic bag, and pour marinade over steak. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Let steak (in bag) stand at room temperature 1 hour. Remove steak from marinade, and discard marinade. Brush off any remaining onion and garlic from steak to prevent burning, and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Preheat grill or a grill pan to medium-high, and brush grates with oil. Grill steak until internal temperature reaches 115 degrees for medium-rare (residual heat will continue to cook meat), 10 to 11 minutes per side. Transfer steak to a cutting board, and let rest, tented with foil, at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Very thinly slice steak against the grain, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Tags: Meat
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Standing Rib Roast with Olive Tapenade

Sunday, March 3rd, 2013

ribroast
Serves 8-10

Standing rib roast is an amazing “splurge” meal. Its so delicious and worth the expense on special occasions.

Tapenade
1 cup brine-cured pitted black olives (such as Kalamata)
1 cup brine-cured pitted green olives (such as Picholine)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, chopped

Roast and Sauce
1 standing beef rib-eye roast (about 11 pound), chine bone removed, fat trimmed to 1/4 inches-1/2 inches thick
1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine (such as Merlot)
2 cups beef broth
2 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) margarine, room temperature, divided
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Tapenade
Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until a coarse purée forms.

Roast and Sauce
Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap, leaving a long overhang on both ends. Place roast on top. Season meat with salt and pepper, then rub tapenade all over roast.

Tie 2 pieces of kitchen twine crosswise and 2 pieces lengthwise around roast to secure. Wrap tightly with excess plastic wrap and chill overnight. Let roast stand at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat oven to 425°. Unwrap roast; set on a rack inside a deep roasting pan. Pour 2 cups water into bottom of pan. Roast meat until deep brown, about 40 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of meat registers 120° for medium-rare (temperature will climb to 125° after removed from oven), about 1 1/2 hours longer. Transfer rack with roast to a cutting board; let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off fat from roasting pan; discard fat. Add wine to pan, set over medium heat, and cook, stirring to dissolve any browned bits from bottom of pan. Transfer liquid to a medium skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until wine is reduced to 1/4 cup, 7-8 minutes. Add broth and thyme sprigs; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes.

Stir 1 tablespoon margarine and flour in a small bowl until well blended. Whisk half of margarine mixture into pan sauce. Return to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still runny. Whisk in remaining margarine mixture to thicken more, if desired. Carve roast. Serve sauce alongside.

Tags: Meat, ribs
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Spiced Cocoa Veal Chops

Sunday, April 1st, 2012

Makes 4

This seems like a strange combination but the cocoa adds a lot of flavor to the veal. It makes it a rich and flavorful Passover recipe.

2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons onion powder
1-1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (1-1/2-inch-thick) veal chops
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, oregano, thyme, onion powder, cocoa powder, garlic powder, paprika, red pepper, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over veal.

Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the veal and cook for 3 minutes per side. Put the skillet in oven and bake the veal until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Serve with pan juices.

Tags: Meat, passover, veal
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The Brisket Book’s Favorite Brisket

Sunday, March 25th, 2012

Serves 10

My cousin Esther’s friend Stephanie Pierson wrote a book this year called, “The Brisket Book”, yes an entire cookbook about brisket. It’s a lot of fun with anecdotes and stores and every type of brisket recipe you can imagine. GKC tried Stephanie’s “taste great, feel good, classic brisket” and we vote thumbs up. Try the brisket and get her book at Amazon.com

2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (5 pound) brisket of beef, or shoulder roast
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 onions, peeled and diced
1 (10 ounce) can tomatoes
2 cups red wine
2 stalks celery with the leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
¼ cup chopped parsley, or 3 tablespoons dried
8 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste over the brisket and rub with the garlic. Sear the brisket in the oil and place it, fat side up, on top of the onions in a large baking dish. Cover with tomatoes, red wine celery, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary.
Cover and bake in oven for 3 hours, basting with pan juices often.
Add carrots and parsley and bake uncovered 30 minutes more or until carrots are tender.
This is best prepared a day or two in advance. Skim fat, slice cold and rewarm in the pan juices.

Tags: Meat, passover
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Cranberry Chuck Roast

Sunday, March 25th, 2012

1 (4 to 5 pound) chuck roast
1 tablespoon oil
1-1/2 cups beef broth
2 cups red wine
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 onions, sliced
2 cups fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Rub meat on all sides with oil and place in a large roasting pan. Roast until browned, about 45 minutes, turning at least once. Reduce oven to 400 degrees.

Add broth and wine and cover tightly. Bake for 1-1/2 hours.

Mix in brown sugar and onions. Cover and bake for an additional hour. Stir in cranberries. Cover again and bake for 30 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Tags: Meat, passover
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Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine

Sunday, March 11th, 2012

Serves 8

5 pounds 3-inch long meaty short ribs
½ cup vegetable oil
4 cups chopped onions (about 2 large)
3 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped peeled carrots
6 garlic cloves, pressed
2 bay leaves
1 cup red wine
4 cups low-salt beef broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, brown short ribs on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer ribs to rimmed baking sheet. Add chopped onions, celery, and carrots to pot and sauté until vegetables are light brown, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaves; stir 1 minute. Place short ribs atop vegetables in pot, arranging in single layer. Pour red wine over ribs and bring to boil. Boil 2 minutes. Add beef broth to pot; cover and transfer to oven.

Braise until meat is tender, about 2 ½ hours. Tilt pot and spoon fat from surface of liquid. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and chill overnight.

Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce around ribs and serve.

Tags: Meat, passover, ribs
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