Red Wine Brasato with Glazed Root Vegetables

The snow has fallen and this Mama is ready to prepare a little comfort food.  Who doesn't love a red wine reduction!  A whole bottle of red reduced down to a cup and roasted with beef for hours. 

 I noticed a trend in this blog.  I have prepared dished from Tibet, Morocco, Thailand, and now Italy.  Perhaps I am going to continue a trek around the globe with my foods - although I would love to take on Morocco for the next several weeks.  I have 8 more pages that I can play around with on the blog.  I could go by continents or by food categories.  We shall see what happens. 

For now, if you love a good beef roast - this will turn a regular roast into a black tie affair.  The celery root is a beloved veggie in this house.  So much better than celery.

Bon Appétit |  February 2007

yield: Makes 6 servings (plus leftovers)

Brasato (which means "braised" in Italian) is the ultimate pot roast.

Brasato

• 1 750-ml bottle hearty red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Syrah)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 3-pound beef chuck pot roasts
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
• 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 14-ounce can beef broth
• 2 large sprigs fresh sage
• 2 large sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Vegetables

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 (1-pound) celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound turnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

For brasato:
Adjust rack to lower third of oven. Preheat to 300°F. Simmer wine in large saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large wide pot over medium heat. Sprinkle roasts with salt and pepper. Add 1 roast to pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 13 minutes. Transfer to large plate; repeat with remaining roast. Spoon fat from pot Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Add tomato paste; stir 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boil. Add sage, parsley, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Return roasts and any accumulated juices to pot, tucking roasts to fit in single layer. Pour reduced red wine over; cover.
Transfer roasts to oven and braise 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn roasts over. Cover and braise until roasts are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes longer. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm in 350°F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.
Transfer roasts to cutting board; tent with foil. Strain braising liquid into medium saucepan, pressing on solids in strainer. Spoon fat from surface of braising liquid; keep liquid warm.
For vegetables:
Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add celery root, turnips, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. sauté until browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Add 1 cup braising liquid from pot roast. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Stir in sugar. Add sage and parsley and cook until sauce is reduced to glaze, stirring often, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Cut roasts into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices on platter. Spoon vegetables around roast. Drizzle some of braising liquid over meat and serve.