The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (54 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
SERVES 4 TO 6
Serve this French beef stew with buttered egg noodles or boiled potatoes. If niçoise olives are not available, kalamata olives, though not authentic, can be substituted. Cabernet Sauvignon is our favorite wine for this recipe, but Côtes du Rhône and Zinfandel also work. Our favorite cut of beef for this recipe is chuck-eye roast, but any boneless roast from the chuck will work. Because the tomatoes are added just before serving, it is preferable to use canned whole tomatoes and dice them yourself—uncooked, they are more tender than canned diced tomatoes. Once the salt pork, thyme, and bay leaves are removed in step 4, the daube can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Before reheating, skim the hardened fat from the surface, then continue with the recipe.
³⁄ | ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed |
2 | cups water |
1 | (3¹⁄ |
1 | teaspoon salt |
1 | teaspoon pepper |
4 | tablespoons olive oil |
5 | ounces salt pork, rind removed |
4 | carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds |
2 | onions, halved and sliced ¹⁄ |
4 | garlic cloves, sliced thin |
2 | tablespoons tomato paste |
¹⁄ | cup all-purpose flour |
1 | (750-ml) bottle red wine |
1 | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
4 | (2-inch) strips orange zest, cut lengthwise into thin strips |
1 | cup niçoise olives, pitted |
3 | anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced |
5 | sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine |
2 | bay leaves |
1 | (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
1.
Microwave 1 cup water and mushrooms in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Lift mushrooms from liquid with fork and chop into ¹⁄
2
-inch pieces (you should have about ¹⁄
4
cup). Strain liquid through paper towel–lined fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.
2.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of beef and cook without moving until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer meat to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and remaining meat.
3.
Reduce heat to medium and add salt pork, carrots, onions, garlic, and tomato paste to now-empty pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Slowly add wine, scraping bottom of pan to loosen browned bits. Add broth, remaining 1 cup water, and beef with any accumulated juices. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Stir in mushrooms and their liquid, orange zest, ¹⁄
2
cup olives, anchovies, thyme, and bay leaves, arranging beef so it is completely covered by liquid; partially cover pot and place in oven. Cook until fork slips easily in and out of beef (meat should not be falling apart), 2¹⁄
2
to 3 hours.
4.
Discard salt pork, thyme, and bay leaves. Add tomatoes and remaining ¹⁄
2
cup olives and cook over medium-high heat until heated through, about 1 minute. Cover pot and let stew sit, about 5 minutes. Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of stew. Stir in parsley and serve.
1.
Using chef’s knife, cut fillet lengthwise into ¹⁄
8
-inch strips. Gather strips in bundle, turn it 90 degrees, and mince crosswise.
2.
Using back of fork, press and smear the anchovies against surface of cutting board into uniform paste.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
The Americanized versions of Hungarian goulash served in the United States bear little resemblance to the traditional dish. Mushrooms, green peppers, and most herbs have no place in the pot and sour cream is not authentic to the dish. We wanted the real deal—a simple dish of tender braised beef packed with paprika flavor. To achieve the desired level of spicy intensity, we created our own version of paprika cream, a condiment common in Hungarian cooking but hard to find in the U.S. Pureeing the paprika with roasted red peppers and a little tomato paste and vinegar imparted vibrant paprika flavor without any offensive grittiness. Searing the meat first competed with the paprika’s brightness, so we skipped the sear. We softened the onions in the pot first, added the paprika paste, carrots, and then meat before placing the covered pot in the oven; the onions and meat released enough liquid to stew the meat. A bit of broth added near the end of cooking thinned out the stewing liquid to just the right consistency.
SERVES 6
Do not substitute hot, half-sharp, or smoked Spanish paprika for the sweet paprika in the stew, as they will compromise the flavor of the dish. Since paprika is vital to this recipe, it is best to use a fresh container. We prefer chuck-eye roast, but any boneless roast from the chuck will work. Cook the stew in a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. (Alternatively, to ensure a tight seal, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pot before adding the lid.) Serve the stew over boiled potatoes or buttered egg noodles.
1 | (3¹⁄ |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | cup paprika |
1 | cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and patted dry |
2 | tablespoons tomato paste |
1 | tablespoon white vinegar |
2 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
4 | large onions, chopped fine |
4 | large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds |
1 | bay leaf |
1 | cup beef broth, warmed |
¹⁄ | cup sour cream (optional) |
1.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Season meat evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and let stand 15 minutes. Process paprika, roasted peppers, tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons vinegar in food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.
2.
Combine oil, onions, and 1 teaspoon salt in Dutch oven; cover and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften but have not yet begun to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. (If onions begin to brown, reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 1 tablespoon water.)
3.
Stir in paprika mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions stick to bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Add beef, carrots, and bay leaf; stir until beef is well coated. Using rubber spatula, scrape down sides of pot. Cover pot and transfer to oven. Cook until meat is almost tender and surface of liquid is ¹⁄
2
inch below top of meat, 2 to 2¹⁄
2
hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Remove pot from oven and add enough beef broth so that surface of liquid is ¹⁄
4
inch from top of meat (beef should not be fully submerged). Return covered pot to oven and continue to cook until fork slips easily in and out of beef, about 30 minutes longer.
4.
Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of stew; stir in remaining teaspoon vinegar and sour cream, if using. Remove bay leaf, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (Stew, minus optional sour cream, can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Stir sour cream into reheated stew just before serving.)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
In a good beef carbonnade, the heartiness of the beef should meld with the soft sweetness of sliced onions in a lightly thickened broth laced with the malty flavor of beer. Our tests revealed that the small, long, shoulder-cut blade steak was our best beef option, given its generous fat marbling, which provides flavor and a tender, buttery texture. Lots of thinly sliced yellow onions found their way into the pot next, and a spoonful of tomato paste and a couple of minced garlic cloves boosted the flavor. The key element of this Belgian stew, however, was the dark, potent ale, which bathed the chunks of tender meat and the slivers of sweet onions. The beer, combined with equal portions of chicken and beef broth, gave us a beef stew with a strong, complex flavor.
See “TRIMMING BLADE STEAKS” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 6
Top blade steaks (also called blade or flatiron steaks) are our first choice, but any boneless roast from the chuck will work. If you end up using a chuck roast, look for the chuck-eye roast, an especially flavorful cut that can easily be trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces. Buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes make excellent accompaniments to carbonnade. The traditional copper-colored Belgian ale works best in this stew. If you can’t find one, choose another dark or amber-colored ale of your liking.
3¹⁄ | pounds blade steaks, 1 inch thick, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces |
Salt and pepper | |
3 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
2 | pounds onions, halved and sliced ¹⁄ |
1 | tablespoon tomato paste |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
3 | tablespoons all-purpose flour |
³⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
³⁄ | cup beef broth |
1¹⁄ | cups beer |
4 | sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine |
2 | bay leaves |
1 | tablespoon cider vinegar |
1.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about ¹⁄
2
cup of chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken and beef broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay leaves, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork slips easily in and out of beef, about 2 hours.
3.
Discard thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)