Mudslide, Die in Paris.

Reports on the dreadful mudslide in Rio de Janeiro this morning, the death toll is in the 350 mark. What a dreadful way to die. These weather related disasters continue to pile up lately. I guess its something we can expect – I could be wrong but I think we cause a lot of situations by denuding hillsides so they no longer have anything holding the earth, it rains and hey presto, a mudslide. Nevertheless it is terrible if you are on the receiving end of it. Read here. http://tinyurl.com/6anugzp The flooding in Australia doesn’t seem to be receding either, Brisbane is inundated at the moment not to mention vast stretches of country as big as Germany and France combined. Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake and it doesn’t seem as though a heck of a lot has been achieved there either.

Yesterday we received a copy of French Marilyn’s book Die in Paris which Matt has started reading. I am not sure whether I will read it as I am not much into non-fiction. The story is about a Parisian who was purportedly helping the Jews and others escape during World War II. He was, in fact, killing them. Thanks for the book Marilyn.

Maybe it’s the time of year, but ever since I bought my new slow cooker, I am receiving recipes for it. This recipe calls for cutting the brisket into pieces, in my pot I don’t think that will be necessary. I am not sure, mind you, just how available brisket is and will have to go hunting around maybe. It used to be easy to buy in the UK, but I don’t know about here.

Slow-Cooked Brisket in Onion Gravy

From EatingWell: January/February 2011

This brisket is cooked with beef broth and loads of onions that melt down into a luscious gravy. Serve the brisket and gravy over a mound of steaming mashed potatoes with a side of green beans or sliced carrots for a perfect Sunday dinner.

14 servings

Ingredients

5 pounds flat-cut beef brisket (see Note), trimmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

4 large onions, thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation

1. Cut brisket into two or three pieces small enough to fit into a Dutch oven; pat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and brown the brisket one piece at a time, about 2 minutes per side, adding an extra tablespoon of oil if necessary to prevent sticking. Transfer the brisket to a 5-quart (or larger) slow cooker.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste. Add beef broth and salt; bring to a boil.
3. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Cover and cook until the brisket reaches desired tenderness (see Timing Tip), 4 to 5 hours on High or 8 to 10 hours on Low.
4. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and slice or shred. Place in a serving dish; cover to keep warm. Transfer the gravy to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil rapidly for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
5. Meanwhile, mix butter and flour in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Once the gravy has reduced, lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Stir in Worcestershire sauce. Whisk half the butter mixture into the gravy and return to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until it thickens slightly, 1 to 3 minutes. If the gravy does not thicken enough (it should have the consistency of a cream soup), add the rest of the butter mixture and repeat. Do not overcook. Serve the brisket with the gravy.
6. Variation: Use 3 cups leftover brisket and 2 cups gravy to make Brisket Sloppy Joes. Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 seeded and diced green bell pepper and 1 seeded and minced jalapeño pepper (optional) and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 drained 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, 2 teaspoons chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 3 cups chopped Slow-Cooked Brisket, 2 cups Onion Gravy, 2 tablespoons molasses and 2 tablespoons brown sugar; stir well. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors. Serve on warm whole-wheat or onion buns.

Nutrition

Per serving : 248 Calories; 10 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 65 mg Cholesterol; 8 g Carbohydrates; 30 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 386 mg Sodium; 455 mg Potassium

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare onion mixture (Step 2) using 2 tablespoons oil (instead of 1) to cook the onions. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To finish, complete Step 1, bring the onion mixture to a simmer and finish with Steps 3-5. The cooked brisket and gravy can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Equipment: Large (5- to 6-quart) slow cooker

• Timing Tip: Cook the brisket for the shorter amount of time suggested if you prefer firmer, sliceable meat. If you like it to be falling apart, for shredding rather than slicing, set your timer for the longer time.
• Note: Brisket cuts are notoriously fatty, but the flat “first-cut” is much leaner than the fattier “point cut.” It may be worth calling ahead to make sure your supermarket or butcher has one on hand.

Have a great day