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Food & Wine Recipe

Provençal Red Wine Daube

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 12
  • MAKE-AHEAD

Most of us who actively collect wines inevitably end up with bottles that, while totally drinkable, are decidedly less drinkable than others. Sometimes we lose interest in a wine, or we forget about them in the back of the cellar and the wine loses its l...

MARINADE

  1. 2 bottles red wine, such as a Gigondas
  2. 4 bay leaves
  3. 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  4. 5 cloves
  5. Several sprigs of fresh thyme
  6. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  1. 6 pounds beef, preferably two or three different cuts, choosing from the top or bottom round, heel of round, shoulder arm or shoulder blade, neck or short ribs of beef, cut into 3-ounce pieces
  2. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
  4. 30 whole shallots, peeled and trimmed
  5. Grated zest of 4 organic oranges
  6. 2 cups Rainbow Olive Collection or substitute pitted green olives
  7. 3 tablespoons course sea salt
  8. 1 pound imported penne pasta
  1. In a large, shallow bowl, mix the marinade ingredients. Add the meat, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, turning the meat from time to time. Place a large sieve over a bowl. Pour the meat into the sieve; reserving the marinade in the bowl. Discard the bay leaves and thyme.
  2. In a large, heavy-duty casserole (preferably enameled cast iron) heat the olive oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add several pieces of the meat and brown them over moderate heat, regulating the heat to prevent scorching. Do not crowd the pan and be patient: Good browning is essential for the meat to retain flavor and moistness. Thoroughly brown the meat on all sides in several batches, about 10 minutes per batch. As each batch is browned, use tongs (to avoid piercing the meat) to transfer the meat to a platter. Immediately season generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Return all the meat to the casserole. Add the reserved marinade, cover and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a very gentle simmer until the meat is very tender, 3 to 4 hours. Stir from time to time to evenly coat the meat with the liquid. During the last half hour, stir in the shallots, orange zest and olives. The sauce should be glossy and slightly thick. Taste for seasoning.
  4. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat, shallots, olives and orange zest to another large covered casserole and cover; leave the sauce in the casserole.
  5. Meanwhile, in a 6-quart pasta pot fitted with a colander, bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the sea salt and the penne, stirring to prevent the pasta from sticking. Cook the penne until tender but firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Remove the pasta pot from the heat. Remove the colander and drain over a sink, shaking to remove excess water. Immediately add the drained pasta to the sauce in the casserole and toss to evenly coat. Cover and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the penne to thoroughly absorb the sauce. Taste for seasoning. Transfer the pasta to warmed shallow soup bowls. Arrange several pieces of meat, shallots, olives and orange zest on the pasta and serve immediately.

Suggested Pairing

A good red, such as a Gigondas or Vacqueyras.