Two from Artusi: Bue alla Brace & Bue alla Moda

Here are a couple of pot roasts that will work well with red wines, which weren't included in my translation of Pellegrino Artusi's Art of Eating Well for want of space:

Begin with at least 2 1/4 pounds of lean meat from the shoulder or rump of a large animal. Stick it with lardons the size of a finger that have been rolled in salt and pepper. Tie the meat to give it an elegant shape, salt it, and sauté it in a quarter cup of butter. When it has browned, add the following: half a calf's trotter or a piece of a larger cow's trotter, a large onion, whole, two or three whole carrots, a bouquet garnis made with parsley, celery, basil, and other herbs that suit your fancy, a few strips of lard, a brimming cup of water, or, better yet, degreased broth, and, finally, a half cup of white wine or two tablespoons of aquavit. Cover the pot tightly and simmer the meat until it's just done, but not overly cooked. Since the carrots will cook more quickly, remove them before hand so they will remain whole. Discard the herbs], strain the sauce, and degrease it if necessary. Serve the meat, with the trotter, surrounding it with the carrots, cut into rounds. Made properly, this is a light and tasty stew.

Some stick the onion with cloves, but this spice should only be eaten by those with strong stomachs. I find shelled beans boiled and reheated with the sauce from the meat to be superior to carrots.

This is the boeuf braisé of the French. Buy a nice piece of well aged beef; assuming it weighs about 1 1/4 pounds, lardon it with 2 ounces of lardons cut to the size of a finger and rolled in salt and pepper, and tie it.

Mince a quarter of a mid-sized onion, a half a carrot, and a four inch rib of celery, and sauté the mixture in 2 tablespoons of butter; add the meat and season the whole with salt and pepper.

When the it has browned, sprinkle it twice with a few drops of cool water. Once the water has been absorbed and the meat has browned, add two ladles of boiling water, cover the pot, and simmer the meat until done. Strain the sauce, degrease it, and return it to the fire with a tablespoon of butter, which will improve its flavor; use it to heat through a vegetable, such as spinach, Brussels sprouts, carrots, or bulb fennel, which ever you prefer.

A printer-friendly version of the above.
Classic Italian Recipes

Subscribe to the Newsletter
Name	Email