Wine Braised Beef

Bon Appetit

6 servings

  • 3 T. olive oil
  • 2 lbs. .beef chuck roast, in 1 inch cubes
  • 1 large onion, minced
  • ¼ c. chopped Italian parsley
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • ¼ t. ground cloves
  • ¼ t. cinnamon
  • ¼ t. allspice
  • 1 c. dry red wine
  • 2 ¼ c beef stock
  • 2 14-16 oz. Cans whole Italian tomatoes
  • ½ c. pitted nicoise olives
  • 4 t. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 t. dried)
  • 2 red bell peppers, cut into ¼” strips

Heat oil in heavy pan.  Brown beef on all sides, in batches.  Transfer beef to bowl and set aside.

Decrease heat to medium, add onion and parsley, cook until onion golden, 10 min.  Stir in garlic, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, allspice.
Return beef to pan with onion mixture.  Add red wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits.  Simmer 15 min.  Add beef stock and simmer 10 min.  Add tomatoes with juices.  Add olives, rosemary.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook beef until tender, stirring occasionally, 1 ½ hrs.  Add bell peppers, cover and cook until tender, 15min. Season to taste with salt, pepper.

Serve over rice, couscous or polenta (polenta is excellent!)

Skillet Sausage and Peppers

  • 2 T. oil
  • 1 ½ lb. mild Italian sausage
  • 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 (28 oz.) can whole Italian tomatoes
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • ½ cup red wine

Heat oil in large skillet (medium high heat).  Add sausage and brown 15 minutes.  Drain excess oil.  Add green pepper, tomatoes, onion, and wine;  simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.  Serve over hot noodles.

Makes 4 – 6 servings.

Linguine with Garlicky Clam Sauce

Bon Appetit

This is so good.  As with most pasta sauces, save a little bit of the cooking liquid after draining the pasta and throw it all in the mix.

  • 12 oz. Linguine
  • 3 T. butter
  • 5 T. olive oil
  • 6 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 10 oz. Minced clams, drained, juices reserved
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
  • 2 T. fresh oregano or 1 ½ t. dried
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper

Cool linguine pasta until al dente.  Melt butter with oil in large skillet over low heat.  Add garlic until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.  Add juices reserved from clams, wine, carrot and oregano.  Increase heat to high and boil until reduced to 1 ½ cups, about 12 minutes.  Stir in clams and all but 1 T. of parsley.  Simmer until just heated through, 1 minute.  Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Drain linguine well; add to skillet of hot clam sauce.  Gently toss to blend.  Transfer pasta to large serving platter and garnish with reserved 1 T. fresh parsley.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Leg of Lamb

The New Basics

  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 3/4 cup soy sauce
  • 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
  • ½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 T. slightly bruised fresh rosemary leaves or 1 T. dried
  • 1 T. coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 butterflied, boneless leg of lamb (4 to 5 lbs.)

Combine the wine, soy sauce, garlic, mint, rosemary, and pepper in a small bowl, and mix well.  Place the lamb in a non-reactive baking pan.  Pour the mixture over the lamb, cover, and refrigerate for 6 hours, turning the lamb frequently.
Prepare hot coals for grilling.
Drain the meat, reserving the marinade.  Grill the lamb 4 inches above the hot coals, basting frequently with the marinade, about 20 minutes on each side.  Check the lamb for doneness frequently after 30 minutes grilling.  DON”T OVERCOOK!
Cut the lamb into very thin slices, and serve immediately.

Makes 8 portions

Beef Burgandy

From an old Utopia Beach Club Cookbook

For a crowd of 20

  • 6 lbs. of beef sirloin (Ross’ stroganoff meat)
  • 6 T. margarine
  • 3 lbs. fresh mushrooms
  • 4-5 medium onions, chopped
  • 5 cans Campbell’s beef broth (save 1 can to blend with cornstarch)
  • 8-9 T. catsup
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 T. salt
  • 2 cups Burgundy

Melt margarine, add mushrooms and onion.  Cook until tender.  Remove and set aside.  Brown meat, add broth, catsup, wine, garlic and salt.  Put in oven and bake at 300 for 1 ½ hours.  Remove from oven and add mushrooms and onions.  Thicken with broth and cornstarch.

Serve over wild rice

(For smaller portion:4 lbs. beef; 4 T. margarine; 2 lbs. mushrooms; 3 onions; 3-4 cans of broth; 6 T. catsup; 3 cloves garlic; 1 ½ T. salt; 1 ½ cups burgundy).