Family Meal, Rewarms Well, Great Leftovers
SERVES: 6
Going to Portland, Oregon, is always a pleasure for me. Not only is it a lovely and friendly city, but I know I will eat well because I always have at least two meals at Nostrana restaurant—and, if I am lucky, a meal at the owner-chef Cathy Whims’s house. Cathy and I have frequently traveled in Italy as part of a food research group led by the Italian food writer Faith Willinger. This recipe from Tuscany has decidedly peasant origins and relies on very few ingredients. Most of the flavor comes from the large amounts of garlic and black pepper and a whole bottle of red wine.
It’s best to make this a day ahead.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4-5 pounds beef shank (6 shank rounds), sliced across the bone into 1½-inch-thick slices
- 2 garlic heads, separated into cloves and peeled
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 4-inch-long fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 750-ml bottle red wine (I use Chianti), or more if needed
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Combine the beef, garlic, 1½ teaspoons salt, 2½ tablespoons pepper, and the rosemary in a large Dutch oven. Place the tomato paste in a small bowl and whisk in some red wine to thin it out. Add the tomato mixture and the rest of the wine to the pot. The liquid should cover the meat; add more wine if needed. Bring to a boil, cover, and place the pot in the oven. Cook for 2½ to 3 hours, checking every 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Discard the rosemary sprigs. Cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. The meat can be served on the bone, but Cathy likes to pull it off the bone in big pieces, then serve each diner a marrowbone. Rewarm the peposo. If the sauce is not concentrated enough, boil to reduce it to a slightly syrupy consistency. Season to taste with salt and more pepper.
ALTERNATIVE CUTS:
- Boneless beef chuck roast or brisket, cut into 2-inch chunks; oxtails; or beef cheeks.
COOK’S NOTE:
- Cathy likes to serve this dish on garlic bruschetta. Cut Italian or French bread into 1-inch-thick slices and toast on a grill or under the broiler. Rub with a cut clove of garlic and brush with good extra-virgin olive oil.
LEFTOVERS:
- Remove the meat from the bones, chop, and serve with the sauce over fresh pasta, such as pappardelle or linguine, or soft polenta. Make a savory pie by substituting 4 to 6 cups chopped or shredded peposo meat for the filling in Irish Beef-Cheek Pie with Stout. Use only the crust part of the recipe.
