Slow-cooked beef with pancetta and cavolo nero
Serves 4
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Your support makes all the difference.Cooked gently, this hearty dish becomes soft enough to eat with a spoon.
6tbspn extra-virgin olive oil
1kg/2lb boneless rib of beef, cut in to chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Spanish onions, peeled and sliced
3 sticks of celery, cut in to fine slices
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
4 slices of pancetta, cut in to cubes
4 cloves of garlic, peeled but left whole
3 bay leaves, preferably fresh
4 sprigs of rosemary
4 tomatoes, roughly chopped, seeds removed
A bottle of Barolo or similar hearty red wine
For the cavolo nero
1 bunch of cavolo nero, washed
80g/3oz Parmesan, freshly grated
3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish. Season generously. Brown the meat in batches. As each batch becomes golden brown, remove and keep warm as you brown the rest. Don't overcowd the dish. Pour the excess oil out and add the onions, celery, carrot and pancetta and cook over a low heat until the vegetables are light-brown and soft. Add the garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, tomatoes and wine and bring to the boil.
Return the meat to the dish and turn the heat to very low. Place a lid on and cook for 21/2 hours. Transfer the meat to a serving dish, turn up the heat to high and reduce the sauce by a third and season. To prepare the cavolo, blanch for five minutes, and add the olive oil, Parmesan and garlic while still warm. Toss through and serve with the slow-cooked beef. '
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