Everyday Italian Expedition

image courtesy of The Food Network

Ever since I saw my first episode of Everyday Italian on the Food Network, I have been convinced that Giada and I would be friends. Each of her recipes sounds and looks delicious, and she is simply adorable. Today I decided to take a shot at her Chianti Marinated Beef Stew, and I believe Giada would have been proud.

Here's what you need:

• 2 1/2 to 3 pound beef brisket
• 1 (750 ml) bottle Chianti wine
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (4-ounce) piece pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 stalk celery, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) kalamata olives, halved
• 6 ounces green beans, halved
• 4 medium red potatoes, quartered
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 sage leaves
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups beef broth

Here's what you do:

Place the beef in a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish. Pour the wine over the meat and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the meat over and marinate for another 1 1/2 hours. Remove the meat from the wine and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve the wine. (I suggest chopping up the veggies at this stage to save a bit of time.)

In a large Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Season the meat on all sides with salt and pepper. Using tongs, place the meat in the pan and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat and add the remaining oil. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.

Add the carrots, celery, garlic, olives, green beans, potatoes, rosemary, and sage. Cook for 3 minutes. Pour the reserved wine, tomatoes, and beef broth into the pan, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Return the meat to the pan and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Remove the meat and the rosemary sprigs from the stew. Place the meat on a cutting board and cut into quarters. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Add the shredded meat to the stew and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

I only had a few minor complications... the local butcher shop was closed, and Publix didn't have a brisket, so instead, I used a roast. I also left out the pancetta. I think that it would have added to the saltiness of the stew, but I was quite fine sans la pancetta. Finally, make sure to use a large dutch oven. The one I initially used was a bit too small and resulted in a slight over boil. Overall, the stew received a great response, and I will definitely be making it again. Perhaps next time I will add more carrots and olives....

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