Denise says:
Seder night brings back the memories of traditional family recipes and for my family brisket is certainly high on the list. However I thought that I would adapt the classic brisket dish and make it just a bit more special. The stuffing provides lovely colour – and vitamins – and as it is cooked in chicken stock and red wine, there is no chance of it drying out when more questions are asked at the Seder ceremony.
Time is of the essence preparing for Pesach, so why not get your meat delivered. Silverman's butcher since they are so many branches I am sure will cover your area.
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
Serves 8 to 10 people
Ingredients:
For stuffing3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions – peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
300g package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
2 whole matzah sheets, finely crumbled
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For brisket
1.8 kg/ 4 pound flat-cut fresh brisket
900g onions – peeled and thinly sliced
600ml chicken stock
100 ml red wine
3 large carrots, peeled, cut into cubes
3 celery stalks, sliced
5 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme - chopped
2-3 bay leaves
Method
Make stuffing1) Heat the oil in large frying pan over a medium heat.
2) Add the onions, garlic and thyme; sauté until onions soften, about 5 minutes.
3) Mix in the spinach, matzah, egg and season stuffing with salt and pepper.
4) Transfer to the food processor and whizz together to produce a thick paste.
Make brisket
1)Preheat oven to 180C/ 350°F/ Gas mark 4.
2)Cut deep pocket in 1 side of brisket, leaving 2 cm border of meat uncut on remaining 3 sides.
3)Fill pocket with stuffing. Skewer or sew pocket closed. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over brisket.
4)Arrange half of onions in bottom of large oven tray. Place brisket, fat side up, on onions.
5)Top brisket with remaining onions. Pour 3 tablespoons of chicken stock and red wine into the oven tray.
6)Bake brisket uncovered until meat and onions begin to brown, about 1 hour.
7)Add carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf to pan around brisket. Pour over the remaining chicken stock.
8)Cover with foil, reduce temperature to 150 C/ 300°F/ Gas Mark 2 and bake brisket until tender, about 2 1/2 hours or longer.
9)Remove from the oven. Uncover pan; let brisket stand 30 minutes. Thinly slice brisket across grain.
To serve the stylish way:
Overlap slices on platter. Surround with vegetables from pan and serve brisket with pan juices.