Surviving February: A follow-up

February 10, 2:35 PMChicago Food ExaminerRebecca Wheeler

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Pho/Photo by disneymike/flickr

In my last post I talked about warming winter weariness with a bowl of hot soup, and it seems I am not alone in my obsession with Asian soups in particular.

This week’s Time Out Chicago (Feb 5-11) features “Smackdown: Pho” on page 32, with the title and runner-up going to my two favorite Pho shops, Pho 888 and Tank Noodle. Nine different spots are highlighted in all.

The February issue of Gourmet magazine has a nice feature on Asian Soups, including recipes for traditional soups with a twist, like this version of Pho and Thai basil chicken soup.

Also from Gourmet this month, the letter from the editor (the fabulous Ruth Reichl) did what most letters from the editor routinely fail to do; it inspired me to promptly read the magazine and then jump up and cook. Here’s her lovely description of braising-which gets at the heart of what I love about this cooking technique and could never describe as eloquently as she does:

“What I need are the homely dishes of winter, the ones that take their time, the ones that mysteriously transform a humble cut of meat and a few scrubby vegetables into a regal repast. …I need the comforting aroma of foods slowly giving themselves up to the pot as they melt into harmony. Dishes that take their time tend to be uncomplicated. They usually don’t cost a lot, but they have the ability to make any house a home by filling it with wonderful smells. They are impossible to resist; no matter how deep in the doldrums I may be, spending an afternoon in a perfumed cloud as I cut and dice invariably reminds me how lucky I am to be alive.”

With Ruth's words as inspiration, I leave you with one of my favorite braising recipes (it also makes the house smell great).

Balsamic Braised Pot Roast
Adapted from How to Cook Meat, Schlesinger and Willoughby
Serves 6

1 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
4-5 pound boneless chuck roast
salt and pepper
2 large red onions, small dice
1/4 cup minced garlic
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), drained and crushed with your hands into pieces
1 cup dark raisins
2 lemons, segmented
1-2 cups beef or chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 300 F.

In a medium bowl combine the red wine, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Stir well to dissolve. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Pat dry the meat with paper towel and season all over generously with kosher salt and pepper, pressing to make it adhere. Brown the roast well on all sides in the Dutch oven, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Pour off remaining fat so you have about 2 tablespoons left in the Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute or so.

Return the roast to the pan and add the tomatoes, raisins, lemons and wine-vinegar mixture. Add enough stock so the liquid comes up at least 1/2 way up sides of the meat. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, and skim off any froth and scrape bottom to release any browned bits. Distribute the tomatoes and onions etc. over the meat and cover the Dutch oven. Place in the oven and roast until the meat is fork tender, 1 1/2 -2 hours. Start checking for doneness after 1 hour. Plunge a fork down into the roast. If it comes out with little resistance it is done, if the meat hangs onto the roast, give it more time in the oven. The cooking time will depend on the amount of fat in the meat and may vary each time you make this dish.

When the roast is done, remove it from the pot and tent it in foil. Skim any excess fat from the pot and reduce the braising liquid if you would like a thicker sauce*. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut the roast against the grain into thick slices and spoon some of the sauce in top.

*If you let the roast sit overnight in the refrigerator in its braising liquid, the fat will congeal on top and can easily be lifted away and discarded. As an added benefit the flavors blend together beautifully overnight.