Monday, January 26, 2015

Beef Braciole
serves 4
This recipe will reflect how terribly odd my family is. We were watching the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where Ray's wife was supposedly making better braciole than his mom...and hi jinx ensued. But my kids were all, "mom you cook better than anything. Make us some braciole!" Well eff me running I didn't know braciole from Adam. What to do. LIBRARY!!! Got a recipe from Joy of Cooking and yeahhhh...hehehe I tweaked it. Now it's a family favorite

4 one quarter inch slices of beef rump roast, slicing diagonally against the grain
Using the flat side of a cleaver or a flat mallet, pound the slices to about ⅛ inch thick, taking care not to tear the meat. Trim any excess fat and pat dry. Season lightly with:
     Salt and black pepper
For the stuffing, mix together:
     1 cup fresh bread crumbs from day-old bread
     4 ounces ground beef, veal, or pork
     ½ cup grated Parmesan
     ¼ cup chopped parsley
    4 thin slices of prosciutto
1/4 c. dried currants
1/4 c. toasted pine nuts
     1 large egg, lightly beaten
Line the beef with a slice of prosciutto
Spread the meat evenly with the stuffing, leaving at least a 1-inch border all around. Roll up, tucking in the sides to form a tight, neat packet. Tie securely with string, both crosswise and lengthwise. Dredge the rolls in:
     ½ cup all-purpose flour
Shake off the excess. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sear the meat packets and brown carefully on all sides. Remove the rolls with a slotted spoon, and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan.
Add to the pan:
     ½ cup finely chopped onion
     ¼ cup finely chopped carrot
     2 teaspoons minced garlic
Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add:
     ½ cup beef stock or broth
     ½ cup dry red or white wine
     ½ cup tomato puree or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
     1 bay leaf
1Tbsp brown sugar

Bring to a boil. Return the beef rolls to the pan, Cover the pan and place in a 300 degree oven, simmer until the beef is fork-tender, 1 to 1½ hours. Remove the rolls to a platter and cover to keep warm. Discard the bay leaf. Skim off the fat from the surface of the liquid. Reduce, if necessary, over high heat just until syrupy. Season with:
     Salt and black pepper to taste

Pour the sauce over the meat. Sprinkle with:
     Grated parmesan or romano
     Minced fresh parsley, basil, or oregano