Celebrating Oktoberfest

During the end of September/beginning of October, people around the world visit Munich to celebrate Oktoberfest.  Here in the US, the closest many of us will come to this festive event is a visit to the Festhaus at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA.  So, here, I offer you a way to bring a little bit of this celebration into your own home.   

 

Beer Bratwurst

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
2 banana peppers, remove ribs and seeds and slice thin
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half (if you have some)
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
4 bottles of beer (plus a few for yourself!)
1 package bratwurst

Directions:

In a medium-large pot, bring onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, red/black pepper and beer to a boil on medium-high heat.  Add sausage and cook for 15 minutes or until brats are cooked through.  Remove brats and continue cooking onion/pepper mixture until liquid has evaporated and vegetables are caramelized. 

In the meantime, preheat oven on broil.  Place brats on a broiler pan.  Broil for approximately 5 minutes, turn and continue for another 5 minutes until brats are browned.

Serve bratwurst topped with caramelized onion/peppers.  Add jarred sauerkraut and brown mustard, or serve on a toasted bun  for an even better finish.

Braciola

Until recently, all I knew about Braciola was that it was some type of Italian entree, frequently enjoyed by the Soprano family.  It always looked delicious but I had no idea what it was!  When I found myself with an extra piece of flank steak (from another wonderful dish to be posted later!) I knew there had to be something great I could make with it.  I was looking through my arsenal of cookbooks, as I set out to do when I started this project, looking for anything interesting with flank steak.  Yes, I could have just grilled it, but where's the challenge in that?  And then - as if the food gods knew I needed them - I came across this recipe and knew it was meant to be!!

For those of you other non-Italians reading this, Braciola is basically flank steak rolled with a breadcrumb mixture and braised in a rich tomato sauce.  And I am here to proclaim that this was one of the best things I've ever eaten!!!! You MUST try this!

Braciola Recipe from Everyday Italian by Giada DeLaurentiis 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/3 cup grated provolone
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 1/4 cups Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows

 

Directions

Stir the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper and set aside. 

Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Starting at 1 short end, roll up the steak as for a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure. Sprinkle the braciole with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the marinara sauce. Cover partially with foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 4 to 6 basil leaves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional
• In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.
• Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.

My slices, topped with plenty of tomato sauce and served with a side of Risotto

I have no tips/tricks for this meal! Other than, yes, you can use your own Marinara recipe or your favorite store-bought jar and I'm sure it will be just as great.  And not being one to enjoy leftovers, this was just as good reheated the next day.  This is not your everyday weeknight meal, but great for a Sunday night dinner!  Try this recipe and you will be completely satisfied!  I hope your family enjoys it as much as we did!!