In order to cook an excellent braised beef, it is first necessary to select the right type of meat. The ideal cut comes from the forequarter of a steer, known as brisket in the US and thick rib in the UK. Typical dish of the Piedmontese cuisine, braised beef in barolo wine requires a very long preparation, but it is not particularly difficult to make. Braised beef in Barolo wine is usually served with polenta, once a staple food of the cuisine in northern Italy and still prepared in many homes almost daily.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 people)
1 kg of brisket or thick rib
butter
oil
a handful of black peppercorns
1 bottle of barolo wine
2 carrots
2 onions
rosemary
sage celery
500 g of corn meal

HOW TO PREPARE THE BEEF
Marinate the beef with barolo wine, chopped carrots, onions, celery, rosemary, sage, salt and pepper for about 12 hours, then drain the meat and roast it in a little oil and butter, until it has browned on all sides. Add salt and pour the wine. Add on the vegetables and the herbs of the marinade. Put a lid on the saucepan and let it simmer on a burner for about 4 hours. Once the cooking is completed, mix the sauce, which will have significantly reduced, in a blender and put the saucepan on the burner again, to let the sauce thicken. To finish with, slice the roast and pour the sauce over it. Serve with polenta.

HOW TO MAKE POLENTA
Pour 200 cl of water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Add in salt and slowly pour the corn meal into the water, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent the corn meal from clogging up. Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring constantly. Once the cooking is finished, turn off the flame and add on a little butter and some grated Parmesan cheese.

Out of curiosity… There are two main types of polenta: the "yellow" one, made from corn meal and the "white one"