Italian stew (wine braised beef over polenta)
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
- Cooking Time: 90 min
- Servings: 6-8 Servings
- Preparation Time: 30 min
- Ingredients
- 3 tbs Olive Oil
- 7 lb Beef Chuck Roast: 1" Cubes
- 1 Large Onion: Minced
- 1/4 cup Fresh Italian Parsley: Chop
- 3 Garlic Cloves: Chopped
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/4 tsp Cloves: Ground
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon: Ground
- 1/4 tsp Allspice: Ground
- 1 cup Red Wine: Dry
- 2 1/4 cup Beef Stock or Canned Broth
- 32 oz can Whole Italian Plum Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Nicoise Olives: Pitted and Sliced
- 4 tsp Rosemary: Chopped
- 2 Red Bell Peppers, 1/4" Strip
- 9 cups Water
- 11/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Cornmeal (not quick-cooking)
DIRECTIONS
- Heat oil in heavy Dutch oven over high heat.
- Add 1/5 of beef and brown on on all sides, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer beef to bowl using slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining beef in 4 more batches.
- Reduce heat to medium, and add onion and Italian parsley to Dutch oven and cook until onion is golden brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in chopped garlic, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and allspice.
- Return beef to Dutch oven and stir to coat with onion and spice mixture.
- Add red wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer mixture for 15 minutes.
- Add beef stock and simmer 10 minutes.
- Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up tomatoes with back of spoon.
- Mix in olives and rosemary.
- Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until beef is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Add bell peppers, cover and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- For Polenta: Bring water and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan.
- Gradually whisk in cornmeal.
- Continue whisking until mixture boils and thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low, and cook cornmeal until thick and thoroughly cooked, whisking occasionally, about 30 minutes.
- You can add some parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup) and 2 Tbls butter before serving.
- Serving: Bring beef to simmer, stirring occasionally. spoon polenta into shallow soup bowls. Spoon beef over polenta and serve.