Buca di Beppo Filet Cacciatore
Yield: 4 servings; 2 cups Marinara Sauce; about 3 cups Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- Dash salt and pepper
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup beef broth, if available
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- 8 red-skinned potatoes, cut into quarters
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup milk or potato cooking water
Instructions
- Cut meat into 4 serving pieces. Season pieces with salt and pepper.
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium-high until it shimmers. Add meat; brown about 3 minutes on both sides and remove from the pan. Lower heat to medium, add onions and mushrooms and cook slowly for about 4 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add garlic, capers and oregano and cook 1 minute more.
- Raise heat to medium-high and pour the sherry into the pan to loosen juices that stick to the pan during cooking. Bring sherry to a boil, add marinara sauce to the pan and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Return beef to the pan and heat thoroughly.
- Serve over mashed potatoes (recipe for garlic mashed potatoes follows). Mound potatoes on platter, pour marinara over and then top with beef.
Marinara Sauce
- Combine ingredients in small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer gently, uncovered, 10 minutes.
- Leftover tomato paste can be frozen. Place in ice cube tray in 1- or 2-tablespoon amounts. When frozen, pop out and freeze in plastic bag or container suitable for freezer.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Boil potatoes, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in enough water to cover the potatoes. Drain, reserving water if you prefer. Remove garlic cloves and discard. Smash potatoes, butter and milk together with a large fork until fluffy. The dish should not be smooth and creamy - you want a thick, homey texture. Otherwise, the marinara sauce will merge with the potatoes, making a runny mess. Season to taste with remaining salt.
Attribution
Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky
