“Brodo” Grass Fed Beef Broth, Tortellini, Broccoli Rabe
Anyone who knows me well knows that I ongoing prepare all sorts of homemade broths out of my kitchen. Preparing broths is really only time consuming in that once the roasting or otherwise prep stages are arranged together, with a mere few pieces of equipment, including a large sized stock pot, broths are simply slowly simmered on the stove for designated hours requiring little to no effort on my part.
Having a case of plastic soup size-take-away containers at convenient access also streamlines the straining process, and makes it organized in determining what is kept and what is given away.
Homemade Broths then provide for a multitude of diverse dishes hot off the stove, from soups, stews, and sauces, to rice dishes as risotto, or as quick meal bases to which a few ingredients might be added ‘Brodo-Bowls,’ such as today’s “Brodo” Grass Fed Beef Broth, Tortellini, Broccoli Rabe.
Homemade broths are nutrient dense and not only provide for healthy food choices but homemade broths also provide for a richer flavor depth in foods and tastier meals. Although beef bones from the local or Farmer’s Market butcher are not cheap in all bones provide the meal base at a huge fraction of grocery cost compared to purchasing any prepared canned varieties or processed frozen or packaged entrees.
Having read some articles on trending bone broth aficionado, Marco Canora over the year, whose side window set off the acclaimed restaurant “Hearth” in New York City, sells single cups of bone broth from among a range of selected recipes, topped with assorted creative accompaniments, his cookbook, “Brodo” naturally then absorbed my interest to check it out from among a selection of picks from Blogging for Books.
I practically devoured the book in one evening. Well sort of. Brodo can be a quick read or not depending on what you hope to get out of it.
For me, besides the composition and recipes of the varied broths I then became consumed learning many more shared details packed between the books pages, including health attributes associated with cooking bones (assuming you eat the broth, that is.)
Think about it, bones from carcasses have provided nourishment and the base flavors for hydration practically since the beginning of man grilling up animals. What’s more as we know of history past among ancestry and culture their rigorous process of using up every morsel, cooking these remaining bones in water over varying heat sourced utensils, thus respecting the whole animal, and, preventing waste, a key principle among the 6 of Canora’s core beliefs listed under the word FOOD displayed by mural in his Hearth restaurant kitchen and serving area.
Most, possibly every culture throughout the ages has provided varying versions of broth soups aimed at maintaining health, curing all sorts of malaise from the common cold and nourishment during cold months to cooling down the body in hot months or restoring balance in the body, including after childbirth, curing hangovers, or just re-setting the gut as Canora suggests having improved his own physical and otherwise health conditions causing illness and prolonged fatigue before revisiting the elixir of his childhood, Brodo, the freshly prepared staple regularly prepared by his Tuscan mother.
Canora’s enthusiasm to the positive properties in sipping broth also inspired a sort of menu plan chapter for what he coins as the “3-day bone broth reset,” or, the act of consuming a few days of varied broths giving a bit of a rest to the digestive system, including that in the recovery of overindulgence of which most folks can relate to at one time or another, right eh? And even including those surrounding the restaurant industry. I’m not pointing any fingers here, just saying.
Besides the Grass-fed beef broth prepared today, the recipe chapter on ‘Sipping Broths’ also includes flavors from Canora’s coined: Hearth broth, a combination of beef shin, stewing hens, and turkey drumsticks.
Then included are veal broth, duck broth, pork broth, chicken broth, fish broth, a few vegetable broths including mushroom, mixed vegetable, and seaweed, you name it, he’s got a flavorful broth for it.
Recipes are also included for the “add-ins,” sort of like picking out what you want on your ice cream sundae only in this case its broth heaven.
Some of the types of topping recipes that customers may choose when purchasing broth cups out of the restaurant take-out window include; bone marrow or a bit of fresh grated turmeric, infused coconut milk, roasted garlic puree, or beet kvass to name a few.
“Brodo” broth recipes may be scaled down to suit the reader’s needs, but in viewing the overall recipe amounts throughout the cookbook I found them pleasantly realistic and practical for those even preparing regular dishes for families or friends.
Referencing the history of broths among some cultures around the world, Canora also includes traditionally popular soups derived from them. While he does not include actual broths popular in South America he does reference a popular proverb of the region: “Good broth will resurrect the dead.” Some might attest to that saying.
Another fun little tidbit, Canora shares the derivative of the word “restaurant” whose origins began in eighteenth century Paris when travelers stayed in rest houses and inns and were served ‘restoratifs’ or, restorative hot broths. With broth then also emerged pot au feu, and bouillon.
Brodo includes a chapter outlining tips, tools, and techniques for making broth at home which is helpful, even if you are a beginner who might have interest incorporating this sort of Slow Food type tradition to your repertoire.
Broths may also be frozen as you can see displayed in the beautiful gelatinous elongation set in the red pot above whose shape was formed from the plastic soup take away containers #lifesavingorganizers as I mentioned above.
Among diverse options today’s delectably rich and flavorful Grass- fed Beef Broth provides for a plain base, or addition of ingredients from simple to complex. Any way you look at it, when it comes to Brodo, the options aren’t just timeless, they’re countless.
I received a copy of the cookbook “Brodo, a bone broth cookbook” from Blogging for Books. All opinions included in this Post are sincere and of my own opinion.
"Brodo" Grass Fed Beef Broth, Tortellini, Broccoli Rabe
Notes
A nutrient rich, healthy and delicious beef broth from the cookbook: "Brodo" by Marco Canora. Canora is the owner of Hearth restaurant in New York City where a side window provides take-out cups of steaming broth varieties with assorted accompaniments.
For Preparing the Remy: After emptying your pot of broth, cover the just cooked bones and aromatics with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for an hour or two. This will yield a weak, or half stock, that may be used in soups, stews or other purposes.
Recipe may be halved or scaled down for smaller yields.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds beef neck bones
- 8 pounds beef knuckles
- 5 pounds beef shin
- 3 large onions, peeled and halved
- 6 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 2 large carrots, scrubbed, coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon black pepper corns
- 12 or more stems fresh thyme
- fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange the necks and knuckles in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets. Roast until well browned, about an hour, flipping the bones after 30 minutes. Put the roasted bones and the shins into a 16 quart stock pot and add water to cover by 2-3 inches. Bring it to a boil over high heat, about 1 hour, skimming off the foamy impurities every 15-20 minutes. As soon as the liquid boils, reduce the heat to very low and pull the pot to one side so it is partially off the burner. Simmer for two hours skimming once or twice. Add the onions, celery, carrots, tomato paste, peppercorns, and thyme and push them down into the liquid. Continue to simmer for 12-16 hours, skimming as needed and occassionally checking to make sure the bones are still fully submerged, Use a spider skimmer to remove the solids and save to make a remy or discard. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer. Season with a couple pinches or so of sea salt, or to taste. Let broth cool Transfer cooked broth to storage containers leaving any sediment at the bottom of the pot, refrigerate overnight. Spoon off any solidified fat from the top and store broth for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 6 months.
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