I was going to put another easy-to-vegan recipe here, but Ted has informed me that he's just bought like 3 vegan cookbooks, so needs no new things right now. So yeah! Meat.
AUSSIE BERKO (or osso bucco)
This is a survival ration (the ingredients are dead cheap), but it's also a warming, filling comfort food dish. It's also stupidly easy, so if you're worried about not having much time to sort something out for a dinner party/movie night, this is your Woodstock.
serves 4
UTENSILS
- Plastic Bag
- Casserole Dish (one that has a lid, can go on the stove AND fit in the oven)
- Tongs
- Knife
- Oven mitts
- Ladle
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 4 pieces of gravy beef "osso buco" (BEEF, not VEAL. Ask your butcher. Make sure you get the pieces with the bone in (teehee). This is a REALLY cheap cut, often less that $9.95 a KILO. For serious)
- 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 carrot (roughly chopped)
- 1 celery stalk (roughly chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves (squished)
- Small handful of whatever fresh herbs you have (rosemary, basil and parsley work well.)
- Half a 400g tin of chopped or whole Italian tomatoes
- 1 longneck (750 mL) of decent stout or dark beer (get Coopers, or Sheaf if you can, avoid the hell out of Guinness, it's too sour for this)
- Loaf of good bread (optional. I like carbs with my foods)
- VEGGIE PREP
Chop up your celery and carrots and squish your garlic. Don't be too fiddly, they're going to be cooking for a fair bit. Rip up your herbs, but avoid the stems if you're using rosemary or thyme or anything that has stems. - MEAT
Get your plastic bag. Be sure it's decently thick, as you're about to put meat into it and shake it around. So put in your meat and tip in the spoon of flour. Close the bag and give it a shake so the meat is coated.
- Preheat your over to 150 C (300 F, gas 2)
- Put your casserole dish on the stove on medium heat. Pour in your olive oil and let it warm up. Once it's hot, put the meat in. This is why you want a decent sized casserole dish, so the meat can all lay flat and brown evenly. Let the meat cook and brown, turning it only once. When both sides are looking cooked, use your tongs to take the meat out.
- If the base of the pan is looking a bit burnt, add a bit more oil, then toss in your carrot, celery, garlic and herbs. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring often. While this is going on, drink half your stout. Make sure there's about 375 mL (about 1 and a half cups) left.
- Turn the heat up as high as it'll go, and return the meat to the dish. Pour in the remaining stout and half your tin of tomatoes. Give everything a big stir. Let it come to a gentle simmer. Once it's bubbling about the edges, use your oven mitts to put it into your oven.
- Wait 45 minutes, then take the lid off and turn the meat over.
- Wait another 45 minutes. Hey, you could watch a movie and drink more beer in this time! :D
- Pull your dish out of the oven and have a look. The meat should be just coming away from the central bone (teehee).
- If you've got bread, cut a few thick slices and put it at the bottom of each bowl.
- Put each piece of meat in a bowl, and ladle over some of the sauce and veggies. Be sure to eat the marrow in the middle. It's good for you, and will put some chest on your chest.
*original recipe from Cooking Under The Influence by Ben Canaider and Gregg Duncan Powwell, two of my favourite food, wine and beer authors. Like seriously, buy anything these two write. I do not claim to own this recipe, I just make it a lot. Dude, why would I claim this is mine? I don't want to get sued.
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