3 pounds beef shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon star anise
2 bay leaves
1 cup red wine
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
vegetable oil
4 cups veal or beef stock
In a large bowl, place beef chunks and the rest of the ingredients, except the stock; cover and let stand overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, drain the beef and save the marinade. Sear beef chunks in hot oil and place into a large oven-ready pot. In a separate pot, boil marinade (about 10 minutes), reducing it by half, then add it to the beef chunks. Add stock. Cover, and bake in 325-degree oven for 2 hours or until tender. Pour braising juices into a separate pot and boil until reduced by half. Place beef on a warmed tray. Return the beef to the reduced braising liquid and warm until ready to serve.
Place celeriac puree (recipe follows) into large bowls and place beef stew on top, adding a ladle of braising juice. Serve with side of sautéed baby spinach. Serves 4.
Celeriac Purée
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 heads of celeriac, trimmed and roughly chopped
4 tablespoons butter
ground white pepper
sea salt
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups whole milk
Sweat the onion in olive oil until soft. Add celeriac (also known as celery root), butter, pepper and salt. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat, then add wine and reduce by half. Add milk. Simmer until soft. Remove from heat, and puree until smooth. Correct seasonings as needed. Serve immediately.
Sautéed Spinach
1 bag of baby spinach (about 10 ounces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt
pepper
In a large pan, melt butter on medium high, then add spinach. Sauté briefly (only a couple of minutes), just enough to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
