WINERY BEEF BRAISE WITH ROOTS

Buy your meat from a butcher and have it cut into 2-inch (5-cm) chunks. Prepackaged stewing beef is sometimes cut in different sizes, adversely affecting the outcome of this braise. Vary the vegetables as you prefer, but cut them all into a similar size. Buy tarragon vinegar, or make your own: bring 1 cup (250 mL) white wine vinegar to simmer, pour onto 8 sprigs or ½ cup (125 mL) fresh tarragon in a heatproof dish, let cool to room temperature, store in jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.

4 lbs (2 kg) beef chuck, cut in 2 inch (5 cm) cubes Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tsp (10 mL) chopped thyme

3 tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil, divided

2 cups (500 mL) diced onion

2 tsp (10 mL) chopped garlic

1 cup (250 mL) red wine

4 cups (1 L) beef stock

1 can (796 mL) tomatoes, crushed

3 tbsp (45 mL) tarragon vinegar

2 tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp (5 mL) sriracha

1 bay leaf

1½ lbs (750 g) carrots, peeled, about 5 carrots

1 lb (500 g) parsnips, peeled, about 3 parsnips ¾ lb (375 g) rutabaga, peeled, about ½ a rutabaga ½ small head green cabbage, core trimmed

2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped parsley

1 Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

2 Season meat with salt, pepper and thyme. Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil on high heat in a heavy Dutch oven. Working in batches, brown meat on all sides, about 1 minute per side. Remove and reserve.

3 Add remaining oil and reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in wine and bring to the boil. Add stock, tomatoes, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sriracha and bay leaf. Return to a boil, then return meat to pan. Cover and bake in the oven for 2 hours.

4 Prepare vegetables while meat cooks. Chop carrots and parsnips on a bias into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces. Cut any larger pieces in half diagonally. Cut rutabaga into 1-inch (2.5-cm) slices (they will look like half-moons). Cut each half-moon into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces, mimicking the shape of chopped carrots and parsnips. Slice cabbage through the core into ½-inch (1-cm) wedges.

5 Remove bay leaf. Add carrots, parsnips and rutabaga. Cover and cook for 45 minutes longer, or until the vegetables are almost tender.

6 Stir in cabbage. Cover and cook for 30 to 45 minutes more or until all vegetables are soft and beef is fork-tender. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Scatter with parsley.

Serves 12