Featured Recipe
Braised Beef Pappardelles
By Kate
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Braised chuck beef cubes seared in butter, simmered with shallots, smashed garlic, dry sherry replacing porto, beef stock thickened slightly, chopped dried figs replacing dates, salt and cracked pepper to taste. Wide ribbon pappardelle noodles cooked al dente, tossed with tender beef, baby arugula, a knob of cold butter stirred in off heat, garnished with crumbled Roquefort and toasted pecans instead of walnuts. Use pasta water to loosen sauce. Aromatic and rich with fruity-sweet notes from figs and sherry. Hearty rustic main dish. Slow braising technique for melt-in-mouth texture. Serves 4 to 5.
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Prep:
35 min
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
4 servings
beef
pasta
dinner
Italian
French
Introduction
Chunks of chuck, browned well to lock in juices. Butter sizzles, browning meat until deep mahogany crust forms—don’t rush this step. Shallots soften, translucent, releasing sweet aroma. Garlic added only briefly—burnt garlic ruins sauce. Deglaze with dry sherry instead of sweet porto. Bubbly reduction sharpens flavor. Figs swap for dates—less sticky, subtler sweetness. Simmer low and slow; hear gentle simmering, see meat become tender, fibers pulling apart softly at poke. Wide pappardelle swirls that fork can twirl around. Toss pasta off heat, butter cold—melts slowly, making sauce silky, not greasy. Baby arugula bitter green, fresh snap amid rich meat. Blue cheese crumbles tart and sharp, touch of funk. Toasted pecans crunch, contrast texture. Watch color, listen for sounds. Timing flexible; use senses. Pasta water to loosen sauce, always a hideout trick. Classic rustic, with tweaks. Practical tips for home cook, not fussed chef only.
Ingredients
Braised Beef
- 600 g (1 1/3 lb) boneless beef chuck cut into 2.5 cm cubes
- 25 ml (1 ½ tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves lightly smashed and minced
- 200 ml (¾ cup) dry sherry
- 450 ml (1 ¾ cups) beef broth
- 4 dried figs pitted and chopped
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 400 g (14 oz) pappardelle noodles
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cup) baby arugula roughly chopped
- 30 g (2 tbsp) cold unsalted butter diced
- 75 g (2 ½ oz) crumbled Roquefort cheese
- 40 g (1 ½ oz) toasted pecans roughly chopped
Pasta
About the ingredients
Braising beef chuck cut into uniform cubes helps even cooking. Butter preferred over oil; imparts flavor and better browning. Shallots smoother, sweeter than onions—cutting garlic time short avoids bitterness. Dry sherry less sweet than porto, balances acidity in sauce. Dried figs chosen for chewy texture and subtle fruitiness. Salt and cracked pepper fresh grind for seasoning. Pappardelle wide noodles hold sauce well, fresh or dried both fine. Baby arugula chopped to avoid overpowering bite, added off heat to preserve vibrant color. Cold butter to emulsify pasta sauce without oiliness. Roquefort crumbles instead of common blue cheeses offer tanginess. Toasted pecans provide deep nutty flavor and crunchy contrast vs walnuts. If none available, toasted almonds work. Pasta water reserved to loosen sauce, add gradually to prevent runny texture.
Method
Braised Beef
- Heat butter in heavy pot over medium-high. Listen to sizzle before adding beef cubes in a single layer. Brown well on all sides, about 6–8 minutes. Don’t crowd the pan; do in batches if needed. Season with salt and cracked black pepper just before searing to avoid drawing out juices prematurely. Remove beef onto plate, keep fat in pot.
- Lower heat to medium, add shallot to pot. Stir, scraping browned bits off bottom. Cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes—look for glossy edges and faint caramelization. Add smashed garlic, cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Avoid burning garlic; watch closely.
- Return browned beef to pot. Pour in dry sherry, aggressive sizzle and steam release. Let reduce, bubble vigorously for 6 minutes. Watch liquid color deepen; smells sweet and sharp mixing with beef aromas.
- Add beef broth and chopped figs. Increase heat to bring to rolling boil, then immediately cover and lower heat to gentle simmer. Braise until beef is fork-tender, about 1 hr 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Texture check: meat yields easily under pressure, connective tissues break down. If liquid evaporates too fast, add splash of warm broth or water.
- Season at end with salt and pepper. Reserve pot off heat.
- Boil large pot of salted water (2 tbsp sea salt per liter). Cook pappardelle until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than package suggests. Firm but chewy, with slight resistance when bitten. Reserve 125 ml (½ cup) pasta water before draining.
- Return pasta to pot off heat. Add braised beef and its sauce, arugula, cold diced butter. Stir vigorously; butter melts emulsifying sauce and gives silkiness. Add reserved pasta water sparingly to loosen if too thick, but avoid watery consistency—shiny, clingy is good. Heat residual from meat and pasta enough to wilt arugula but keep some bite and bright green color.
- Plate immediately. Scatter Roquefort and toasted pecans on top. Serve right away to preserve cheese texture and nut crunch.
- Notes: Dry sherry sub for porto cuts cloying sweetness, keeps acidity sharper. Figs add chewy fruity depth with less overpowering sugar than dates. Use pecans for nuttier, less tannic crunch versus walnuts. Keep butter cold for gradual melting that binds sauce without greasiness.
- Common issues: Overcooking pasta to mush ruins texture. Undercooked beef tough. Low, slow simmer key; listen for gentle bubble. Too much liquid dilutes sauce, reduce uncovered briefly if needed. Garlic burns easily—add last, short cook only.
Pasta
Technique Tips
Searing beef first creates Maillard reaction flavors—key for complex taste. Crowd pan and meat steams, no crust forms. Keep medium-high heat steady. Removing meat mid-cook helps not overcook veggies. Shallots turn translucent, not browned or burnt. Garlic added briefly; watch color. Deglazing with sherry scrapes browned bits from pot, adding umami. Reduce liquids actively before braising to concentrate flavor. Braising low and slow breaks down collagen turning meat tender, jiggly soft when poked. Stir sparingly to keep stew intact. Check after 1 hour, test tenderness with fork. Pasta cooking precise; overcooking mushy, undercook tough. Use heavy salted water, big pot to prevent sticking. Save pasta water to loosen sauce; starches bind fats, creating velvety coating. Tossing pasta off heat with cold butter melts gradually, doesn’t separate oil from solids. Arugula added last second to keep texture and color. Garnish at plating to keep contrast intact. Timing flexible—rely on visual and tactile cues for best execution.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Heat. Listen for that sizzle, it’s crucial. Searing beef right is key. Brown beef well—deep crust needed. Make sure beef in single layer. If pan's crowded—steam results. Takes longer. Keep patience, move in batches if too much.
- 💡 Watch shallots, they’re delicate. Aim for soft, translucent. Do not let them brown too much. Garlic paste? Quick! Add minutes later—burnt garlic equals bitter sauce. Keep stirring gently, scrap bottom bits. Those bits add flavor. Don’t rush.
- 💡 When braising, low heat essential for tenderness. Gently simmer. Hear soft bubble, not rolling boil. If liquid evaporates too fast, splash in warm broth. Test beef with fork—should yield easily. Timing's flexible; keep checking till fork-tender.
- 💡 Pasta water reserving is a must. Starch helps sauce cling better. Under-cook pappardelle slightly—keep firmness. Toss off heat, cold butter emulsifies well. Don’t rush that step. Adds silkiness, less greasy.
- 💡 Garnishing? Last second, don’t let cheese melt fully. Crumbled Roquefort adds sharp tang against rich beef. Taste contrast vital. If pecans unavailable, almonds hold up. Go for crunchy, nutty elements in texture.
