Roasted parsnip soup, red wine braised beef shank, Fourme d’Ambert

This was the dish we served at the 2017 Bailey Boushay House Chef’s Dinner.  A good choices for either a warm, filling first course or, with a green salad, a light but satisfying supper during the cold winter months.

Serves 8

 

Roasted parsnip soup, red wine braised beef shank and Fourme d’Ambert

Ingredients

Soup

  • 1lb parsnips
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 leek
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 6oz yellow potatoes
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 cups heavey cream
  • 2oz unsalted butter (cold)

Beef

  • 1lb boneless beef shank
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 cup cognac
  • red wine
  • 1 sprig thyme

Garnish

  • 8oz Fourme d’Amber bleu cheese

Preparation

Beef
1. Cut the beef into 2″ pieces. Peel the onion, garlic, carrot and chop roughly. In a bowl, combine the beef, vegetables, bay, cloves, cinnamon, cognac, and enough red wine to just cover. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, draining the beef, saving the marinade. Pat the pieces of beef dry with a paper towel. In a stew pot, sear off the pieces in a little vegetable oil, until colored well on all sides. Add the vegetables, herbs and spices and saute briefly. Add the marinade and, if necessary extra water, to just cover. Bring to a boil, skim well, reduce heat, cover, then simmer very slowly until the meat is tender, about 2-3 hours.
3. Strain the cooking liquid into a smaller pot. Skim off the fat, then reduce to a light sauce consistency. During this reduction, shred the beef, discarding any fat or gristle. If you like, dice finely the vegetables and add to the beef. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Add the reduced cooking liquid to the beef and stir well.
Soup
5. Peel the parsnips, onions, potatoes, and garlic. Remove and discard the hard upper leaves of the leek, then split and wash well. Wash and trim the celery. Chop all the vegetables roughly. Toss all the vegetables except the potatos with a little vegetable oil, spread on a baking sheet and roast in a 350 degree overn until tender and beginning to take color.
6. Transfer all the vegetables to a soup pot. Add the potatoes, wine, cider and enough water to just cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer slowly until all the vegetables are very tender. Add the cream and return to a boil. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Pass though a medium strainer. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish
7. Reheat the braised shank and hold hot. Reheat the soup, then add the cold butter and stir until it is completely incorporated. Ladle the hot soup into individual warm soup bowls, add a large dollop of the braised beef to the middle of each bowl and garnish the top with slices of Fourme d’Ambert.
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