Recipe 2005 Old Barn Zinfandel
Braised Pot Roast Ragout with Polenta
Serves 8
6 lbs Chuck Roast
5 carrots – diced
5 parsnips – diced
2 small yellow onions – small diced
6 stalks celery – small diced
8 cloves garlic – minced
3 tablespoons picked thyme
1 lb button mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 lb hickory smoked bacon – cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups zinfandel
10 cups veal stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leafs
1/3 cup – slurry (potato starch and water mixture – mix into a thin paste)
Method:
Cut chuck roast into 1 inch pieces. Brown all pieces in a large stock pot with olive oil. Deglaze pan with zinfandel and reduce by half, set aside. In the same pan sauté the vegetables – onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, and garlic for about five minutes, add thyme, and then set aside. In a separate pan render the bacon, after cooking strain the bacon fat. Use small amount of fat to sauté the button mushrooms, add to the vegetable mixture. In the large stock pot add the tomato paste and veal stock and bring to a boil for five minutes, then add the beef and wine mixture. Cover with lid and simmer for one hour. Then add vegetables, bay leafs, bacon and mushroom mix. Slowly simmer covered for forty-five minutes or until meat is falling apart. Add slurry to thicken the stew, simmer for about five minutes.
Polenta:
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups whole milk
2 cups corn meal
½ cup butter
1 cup parmesan cheese
Method:
Bring chicken stock and milk to a simmer. Add corn meal slowly and stir every five minutes to prevent from sticking. Continue to stir until mixture has thickened to a smooth consistency. Add butter and parmesan cheese.
Serve the Ragout over the Polenta
Enjoy with friends and family and don’t forget the Alderbrook Zinfandel!
Recipe designed and created by Chef Dan Lucia