Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 lbs boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
2 large onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
2 Tablespoons tomato paste (mine had Italian herbs in it, a mistake but it worked)
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
2 cups tomato sauce
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, as garnish
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, as garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat large (large enough to hold all the meat in one layer) ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When ready to start browning meat add the oil then cubed meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the juices have evaporated and the meat is browned, 20-25 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is soft but not brown, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 1 additional minute. Add the wine; bring to a boil and over tightly.
Bake in the oven until the meat is tender and almost all of the wine has evaporated, about 1 hour. Stir in tomato sauce, sage, and oregano; return the pan to the oven. Continue baking until the meat is soft enough to cut with a spoon, about 1 hour longer. (You may add assorted seasonal vegetables this last hour of cooking. I added 2 potatoes peeled and cut in large cubes and 3 carrots peeled and sliced in large chunks.)
Serve garnished with parsley and cheese. Serves 6
Notes: Serve with creamy polenta or whole wheat pasta and sauteed greens. Use leftovers as a pasta sauce.
Recommended Wine
Barolo Sarmass 1999
Brezza Giacomo e Figli, Barolo, Italy
Alternatives
Nebbiolo or Sangiovese
We enjoyed a table red blend from Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill, Ca; Cavalcade California Cellar Red, Cork Equity #32 May 21, 2011 affectionately called Wedding Wine because it was left over from our daughter’s wedding reception in November 2011.
