BEEF BRISKET WITH CHERRY-MERLOT SAUCE AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Beef Brisket With Cherry-Merlot Sauce and Caramelized Onions image

This brisket is out-of-this-world! Don't skimp on the onions - they are the crowning glory of this incredible dish. I found it under 'recipes' on the Williams Sonoma website.

Provided by Kishka

Time 5h30m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

4 -5 lbs first-cut beef brisket
salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup carrot, chopped small
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, with juice
2 cups merlot
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onions (such as Vidalia or Spanish)
salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dried cherries, pitted

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325.
Season brisket all over with the salt and pepper.
In a large roasting pan with a tight-fitting lid or a dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the brisket and brown well on all sides.
Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion and carrot to the pan and saute until golden, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and saute about 2 minutes more.
Add the tomatoes and juices, 1 cup of the wine and the bay leaf, mix well and bring to a boil.
Return brisket to the pan, cover and place in the oven.
Cook, basting occasionally, for about 3 hours, or until the brisket is fork-tender.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the juices.
Transfer the brisket to a deep platter and cover with aluminum foil.
Refrigerate until cold, up to overnight.
Let the pan juices cool, then pass through a sieve or food mill into a bowl.
Discard the solids and refrigerate until ready to use.
Just before serving, preheat the oven to 350.
Slice the brisket thinly and arrange on an oven-proof serving platter.
Cover with aluminum foil and warm in the oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the onions: Warm the olive oil in a large fry pan and add the sliced onions.
Saute, stirring often, until golden brown and sweet.
Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
While onions are sauteing, pour the remaining cup of wine into a saucepan over high heat.
Add 1/4 cup of the dried cherries and bring to a boil.
Boil until wine is reduced by half and then stir in reserved brisket juices.
Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, remove the brisket from the oven.
Pour the sauce over the meat and then top with the caramelized onions.
Sprinkle with the remaining dried cherries and serve immediately.