Recipe - Peposo—Tuscan Beef Stew with Black Pepper

Beef, Pork and Lamb

Peposo—Tuscan Beef Stew with Black Pepper

This is fantastic the day it is prepared but is sublime if allowed to spend 24 hours in the refrigerator before being reheated. Serve this over a bowl of Campanini Quick Cooking Polenta.

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. top round or boneless chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Sea salt
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 cup Badia a Coltibuono Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bottle of Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico
14 oz. can Rega whole cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 sprigs each of sage, rosemary and thyme tied into a bouquet garni with 2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper

Preparation:

Time: 4 hours

Yield: 4 SERVINGS

Generously salt the cubes of beef. Heat ½ cup of oil in a Dutch oven over high. Once oil is hot, add ½of the beef cubes. Do not move them right away. Sear well on the first side.
Add 3 garlic cloves. Brown the meat well. Remove meat and garlic to a bowl. Repeat with the rest of the beef cubes and garlic cloves. Once done, remove the paper from the garlic.
Drain off the remaining oil. Pour 1 cup of wine into the hot pan and deglaze, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine boil for two minutes or until reduced slightly.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and whole black pepper.
Put the beef and garlic back in the pot. Pour the remaining wine over meat to cover. Add the bouquet garni and bring to a boil.
Once the stew reaches a boil, cover the pot and reduce to a slow simmer for 2-3 hours until beef is tender. Adjust the seasoning.