La Piemontese Recipe

Prep and season beef

Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. In a bowl combine flour, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the beef pieces lightly in the flour, shaking off excess.

Brown the beef

Heat a large heavy-bottomed braising pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter. When hot and the butter foams, add half the beef in a single layer and brown without moving for 2–3 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer browned beef to a plate and repeat with remaining beef, adding remaining oil and butter as needed. Work in batches to avoid steaming.

Sweat aromatics

Lower heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrot and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown.

Deglaze with wine

Turn heat to medium-high. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables for 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to boil for 2–3 minutes to burn off most of the alcohol and concentrate flavor.

Return beef and add stock

Return all browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the beef stock until it comes about halfway up the pieces (about 2 cups). Stir in the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the liquid barely bubbles.

Braise until tender

Cover the pot partially (lid slightly ajar) and simmer on the stovetop for 1.5 to 2 hours, or transfer to a preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 1.5 hours. Check after 1 hour and then every 20 minutes: the meat should be fork-tender and the sauce slightly reduced and glossy.

Add olives and finish sauce

When the meat is tender, stir in the halved olives and allow to warm through for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Take out the bay leaf and discard. Whisk in 1 tbs cold butter and the lemon zest to enrich and slightly thicken the sauce (mounting à la beurre). Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed (start with 1/2 tsp).

Rest and garnish

Let the stew rest for 5 minutes to meld flavors. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top before serving.

Spoon generous portions of the braised beef and sauce over warm soft polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg tagliatelle. Serve immediately with extra parsley and a grind of black pepper.