Italian Slow-cooked Beef with Creamy Polenta

• portioner: Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredienser

1 ⅕ chuck roast, cut into 5cm cubes

sea salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef stock

1 De Gustibus Parmigiano Reggiano rind

sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

Instruktioner

Pat the beef dry and season well with salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and, in two batches, brown the beef until well coloured on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker. Don’t wash the pan.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan with the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, then add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Tip everything into the slow cooker.

Add the beef stock, Parmigiano rind, thyme, and the bay leaves. Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours, or on high for 4–5 hours, until the beef is completely tender and falling apart.

Remove and discard the Parmigiano rind, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Shred the beef roughly with two forks. For a thicker sauce, transfer the cooking liquid to a small pot and simmer briskly for a few minutes until reduced, then return to the slow cooker.

POLENTA: Just before serving, bring the water and stock to a boil in a large pot then reduce to a simmer. Whisk in the De Gustibus instant polenta and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt.

TO SERVE: Ladle the polenta into wide bowls and tap the base gently to spread. Scatter over the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Spoon the beef over the top, making sure to reserve a few chunky pieces of meat to sit proudly on top. Scatter over the parsley.

De Gustibus is brought to you by Prodotti.

Visit their website for more inspiration: prodotti.co.nz or degustibusbrand.com