Tender Brisket and Vegetables With Smoky Paprika

The Washington Post, March 28, 2007

• • Cuisine: Eastern European
• • Course: Main Course
• • Features: Holiday (Passover)

Summary:

Nina Simonds's version of this Passover main-course staple was inspired by recipes from her mother and her Great Aunt Sophie. This recipe generates less sauce than many brisket recipes, and it creates a brisket that is not sweet. To make more sauce, add 1 cup of water during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

This dish can be made 2 days in advance. Allow 30 minutes for the rub to penetrate the meat before cooking.

8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

• • 4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• • 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
• • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus additional to taste
• • 4 to 5 pounds flat-cut brisket, excess fat trimmed to 1/4 inch
• • 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
• • 8 ounces can tomato sauce
• • 2 1/2 cups water
• • 4 medium carrots, peeled, ends trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• • 1 1/2 pounds large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or sixths

Directions:

Combine the garlic, pepper, paprika and salt in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the brisket and let stand about 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Have ready a medium roasting pan.

Place the brisket in the pan, fat side up. Arrange the onions around and on top. Roast about 30 minutes, uncovered, so that the onions are golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Pour the tomato sauce over the brisket and spread to coat evenly. Slowly pour the water around the brisket and a little over the meat. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil and roast for 2 hours, basting the meat 2 or 3 times with the liquid in the pan.

Add the carrots and potatoes, arranging them around the meat. Baste the meat and vegetables with the pan juices and sprinkle the carrots and potatoes lightly with salt. Roast, covered, for 1 hour, then increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Uncover and roast for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and golden. The brisket should also be tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove the meat, fat side up, to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Using a slotted spoon, remove the carrots and onions and arrange them around the edges of a serving platter or in a separate bowl. Skim the pan liquid, removing any fat. If the liquid is too thin, pour into a saucepan and cook, uncovered, over medium heat to thicken until it coats the back of a spoon. Taste the sauce for seasoning, adding salt, if necessary. With a sharp knife, carve the meat into thin slices across the grain. Arrange the slices in the center of the platter with the carrots and potatoes around the sides. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables, or serve on the side, if desired.

Recipe Source:

From cookbook author Nina Simonds.

568 calories, 43g fat, 17g saturated fat, 127mg cholesterol, 599mg sodium, 10g carbohydrates, 2g dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 34g protein.