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Spezzatino di manzo con la polenta
by
Frank Fariello
Calificación: 4.0
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Medallions Of Beef With Mushrooms ( Medaglioni Di Manzo Con Funghi)
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%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt's%20hard%20to%20believe,%20but%20in%20the%20two%20and%20a%20half%20years%20that%20I've%20been%20writing%20this%20blog,%20somehow%20I've%20managed%20to%20avoid%20writing%20a%20post%20about%20Italian%20beef%20stew.%20I%20suppose%20that's%20a%20tribute%20to%20the%20vast%20variety%20of%20Italian%20cooking%20or%20perhaps%20a%20reflection%20of%20the%20somewhat%20secondary%20role%20that%20beef%20plays%20in%20Italian%20cuisine.%20Or%20perhaps%20it's%20just%20a%20reflection%20of%20my%20own%20tastes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBe%20that%20as%20it%20may,%20it%20is%20true%20that%20on%20a%20cold%20winter's%20night%20a%20hearty%20beef%20stew,%20served%20over%20polenta,%20makes%20a%20delightful%20piatto%20unico.%20And%20it's%20very%20simple%20to%20make:%20start%20(as%20always)%20with%20a%20soffrito,%20add%20your%20meat%20to%20brown%20lightly,%20then%20a%20splash%20of%20wine,%20then%20your%20braising%20liquid%20and,%20if%20you%20like,%20some%20fresh%20herbs.%20Cover%20and%20let%20it%20simmer%20very%20gently%20until%20tender.%20It%20sounds%20straightfoward%E2%80%94and%20it%20is.%20It%20is%20also%20economical,%20as%20stewing%20cuts%20are%20cheap%20and,%20if%20you%20serve%20the%20stew%20over%20polenta,%20just%20a%20little%20bit%20goes%20a%20very%20long%20way.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20Italian%20way%20with%20stew%20is%20very%20much%20like%20the%20stews%20of%20other%20cuisines.%20The%20main%20difference%20lies%20in%20the%20use%20of%20a%20soffritto%20of%20aromatic%20vegetables%20to%20start%20with,%20before%20you%20add%20the%20meat.%20Since%20you%20then%20add%20the%20meat%20to%20the%20already%20soft%20vegetables,%20they%20will%20not%20caramelize%20as%20much%20as%20in%20recipes%20where%20you%20begin%20by%20browning%20the%20meat%20directly%20in%20hot%20oil.%20Rather%20than%20forming%20a%20nice%20dark%20crust%20around%20the%20meat,%20the%20meat%20absorbs%20the%20sweetness%20of%20the%20aromatic%20vegetables.%20The%20result%20is%20sweeter%20and%20mellower%20than%20other%20beef%20stews%20you%20may%20have%20tried.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIngredients%20(serves%204-6)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EDirections%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPour%20a%20generous%20amount%20of%20olive%20oil%20(or%20a%20mixture%20of%20butter%20and%20oil)%20into%20a%20saut%C3%A9%20or%20braising%20pan.%20Add%20the%20onion,%20carrot%20and%20celery%20and%20saut%C3%A9%20very%20gently%20until%20the%20vegetables%20are%20very%20soft%20and%20the%20onion%20translucent.%20Adding%20a%20pinch%20of%20salt%20and%20a%20spoonful%20of%20water%20helps%20the%20vegetables%20cook%20and%20avoids%20browning.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENow%20add%20the%20beef%20cubes%20and%20turn%20them%20with%20a%20wooden%20spoon%20or%20spatula%20so%20they%20are%20nicely%20coated%20with%20the%20vegetables%20and%20flavored%20oil.%20Season%20well%20with%20salt%20and%20pepper.%20Raise%20the%20heat%20a%20bit%20and%20let%20the%20beef%20brown%20very%20lightly,%20turning%20constantly%20to%20avoid%20burning.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENow%20add%20a%20splash%20of%20wine%20and%20let%20it%20evaporate.%20Then%20add%20enough%20broth%20to%20almost%20cover%20the%20meat%20and,%20if%20using,%20nestle%20your%20fresh%20herbs%20among%20the%20beef%20cubes.%20(NB:%20Most%20Italian%20recipes%20call%20for%20much%20less%20broth%20than%20this,%20but%20this%20way%20will%20give%20you%20abundant%20sauce%20for%20pouring%20your%20polenta:%20see%20Notes%20below.)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECover,%20turn%20down%20the%20flame%20as%20low%20as%20it%20will%20go,%20and%20let%20the%20beef%20simmer%20very%20gently%20until%20fork-tender.%20Most%20recipes%20say%20an%20hour%20and%20a%20half,%20but%20I%20find%20two%20to%20three%20hours%20is%20more%20like%20it.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhen%20the%20meat%20is%20tender,%20uncover%20and%20check%20the%20consistency%20of%20the%20sauce.%20If%20it%20is%20rather%20thin,%20you%20can%20either%20raise%20the%20heat%20and%20let%20it%20evaporate%20and/or%20add%20a%20spoonful%20of%20corn%20or%20potato%20starch,%20dissolved%20in%20an%20equal%20amount%20of%20water,%20to%20thicken%20the%20sauce.%20If,%20on%20the%20other%20hand,%20you%20want%20more%20sauce,%20then%20just%20add%20more%20broth%20or%20water%20and%20let%20it%20simmer,%20uncovered,%20for%20a%20few%20minutes.%20Taste%20and%20adjust%20for%20seasoning.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERemove%20the%20fresh%20herbs,%20if%20used,%20and%20serve%20over%20a%20nice,%20hot%20bed%20of%20freshly%20made%20polenta%20(see%20recipe%20here).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENOTES:%20To%20my%20taste,%20chuck%20is%20the%20ideal%20cut%20of%20beef%20for%20making%20spezzatino.%20It%20has%20good%20flavor%20and%20enough%20marbling%20to%20stay%20juicy%20after%20a%20long%20braise.%20The%20unidentified%20'stew%20meat'%20you%20find%20in%20supermarkets,%20on%20the%20other%20hand,%20can%20sometimes%20dry%20out.%20So,%20to%20be%20sure,%20I%20buy%20my%20own%20piece%20of%20chuck%20and%20cut%20it%20up%20myself%20into%20cubes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAs%20mentioned,%20the%20usual%20spezzatino%20recipe%20actually%20calls%20for%20much%20less%20broth%20(or%20water),%20just%20enough%20to%20moisten%20the%20meat.%20More%20broth%20can%20be%20added%20if%20needed%20during%20the%20braise.%20This%20produces%20an%20intensely%20flavored%20but%20rather%20skimpy%20sauce%20at%20the%20end.%20So%20when%20serving%20the%20spezzatino%20over%20polenta%20as%20pictured%20here,%20I%20like%20to%20add%20a%20generous%20amount%20of%20broth%20so%20I%20have%20ample%20sauce%20at%20the%20end,%20in%20which%20case%20it%20is%20usually%20best%20to%20thicken%20the%20sauce%20at%20the%20end%20with%20some%20starch.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20braising%20liquid%20is%20usually%20meat%20broth,%20either%20beef%20broth%20or%20a%20broth%20made%20from%20a%20mixture%20of%20chicken%20and%20beef.%20You%20can%20use%20plain%20old%20water%20as%20well%20in%20a%20pinch,%20in%20which%20case%20be%20extra-generous%20with%20your%20salt%20and%20pepper.%20(And%20I%20have%20been%20known%20to%20add%20beef%20base%20or%20even%20a%20bouillon%20cube%20to%20a%20stew%E2%80%94just%20don't%20tell%20anyone!)%20If%20you%20have%20some%20extra%20wine%20around%20the%20house%20that%20has%20been%20open%20too%20long%20to%20drink,%20you%20can%20make%20a%20spezzatino%20di%20manzo%20al%20vino%20rosso%E2%80%94use%20wine%20not%20just%20to%20splash%20over%20the%20meat%20for%20some%20extra%20flavor%20and%20let%20evaporate%20(a%20process%20called%20sfumare%20in%20Italian)%20but%20enough%20to%20act%20as%20your%20braising%20liquid.%20And%20you%20can%20also%20make%20this%20dish%20in%20rosso,%20with%20tomato%20sauce,%20instead%20of%20or%20in%20combination%20with%20the%20broth.%20All%20of%20these%20variations%20are%20very%20good.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIf%20you're%20not%20in%20the%20mood%20for%20polenta,%20this%20stew%20is%20equally%20good%20with%20mashed%20potatoes%20or%20just%20a%20nice%20piece%20of%20crusty%20bread.%20And,%20though%20not%20very%20Italian,%20it%20would%20also%20go%20well%20with%20some%20buttered%20noodles.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}