Daube Glacee

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven (7-quart minimum)
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •9x5 inch loaf pan or terrine mold
• •Sharp slicing knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the beef

   Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with half the salt, the cayenne, and the nutmeg. Rub it in. Let the meat sit at room temperature for thirty minutes while you prepare everything else. This is where flavor begins, not at the end.

   Cold meat seizes when it hits hot oil and won't brown properly. Room temperature beef develops a better crust.
2. 2

   Brown the meats

   Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke. Brown the beef on all sides, taking your time to develop a deep mahogany crust. This takes about twelve minutes total. Don't rush it. Remove and set aside. Add the pigs' feet to the same pot and brown them lightly, about four minutes per side. The fond building on the bottom of that pot is pure flavor.

3. 3

   Build the braising base

   Pour off all but two tablespoons of fat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Season them with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits, until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent, about eight minutes. Add the halved garlic head, cut side down, and let it toast for two minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Deglaze and add aromatics

   Pour in the red wine and scrape up every bit of fond from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half, about three minutes. It should smell rich and slightly sweet, not sharp. Add the bay leaves, thyme, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice. Pour in the beef stock. It should come up about three-quarters of the way up the beef.

5. 5

   Braise low and slow

   Nestle the beef and pigs' feet into the liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to a 300 degree oven. Braise for four to five hours, turning the beef once halfway through. The meat is done when a fork slides in and out with no resistance, when the beef wants to fall apart but hasn't quite surrendered. The pigs' feet will be completely tender, their collagen dissolved into the liquid.

   Check the liquid level after two hours. If it's reduced too much, add more stock. You need plenty of liquid for the aspic.
6. 6

   Cool and separate

   Carefully transfer the beef to a cutting board and let it cool until you can handle it. Remove the pigs' feet and discard them (they've given everything they have). Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing on the vegetables to extract all their flavor. Discard the solids. You should have about two quarts of deeply flavored, slightly gelatinous liquid.

7. 7

   Clarify the aspic

   Refrigerate the strained liquid for at least four hours or overnight. The fat will rise and solidify on top. Lift it off in sheets and discard. What remains should be a trembling, amber jelly. If it's not firmly set, gently warm it, bloom two envelopes of gelatin in a quarter cup of cold water, and stir the gelatin into the warm liquid until dissolved.

   The pigs' feet should provide enough natural gelatin, but older animals or longer cooking can break down too much collagen. The commercial gelatin is insurance, not failure.
8. 8

   Shred and season the beef

   Using two forks, shred the cooled beef into bite-sized pieces, discarding any fat or connective tissue. Taste a piece. Season the meat with additional salt if needed. Toss the shredded beef with the chopped parsley and sliced green onions. This is where the freshness comes in, balancing all that rich, braised depth.

9. 9

   Assemble the mold

   Gently warm the clarified aspic just until it liquefies. Taste it now. It should be well-seasoned, aromatic, beefy. Adjust salt if needed. Arrange the seasoned beef in a 9x5 inch loaf pan or decorative terrine mold. Pour the warm aspic over the meat, ensuring it fills all the gaps and covers the beef by at least half an inch. Tap the mold gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.

10. 10

    Set and unmold

    Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least eight hours, preferably overnight. The aspic should be completely firm, jiggling but holding its shape. To unmold, dip the bottom of the pan briefly in hot water, run a thin knife around the edges, and invert onto a cutting board. If it resists, dip again. Patience here.

    If you're nervous about unmolding, line the pan with plastic wrap before filling. It makes release foolproof.
11. 11

    Slice and serve

    Using a sharp, thin knife dipped in hot water between slices, cut the daube into half-inch slices. Arrange on a platter. Serve cold with good Creole mustard and crusty French bread. The aspic should shimmer. The beef should be tender enough to cut with a fork. This is Creole elegance at its finest.

Chef Tips

• •Ask your butcher to split the pigs' feet for you. They're too tough to cut at home without a cleaver, and the split feet release their gelatin more readily.
• •The quality of your beef stock matters enormously here. If you're using store-bought, choose a low-sodium version and taste as you go. Better yet, make your own.
• •Daube glacee improves over two to three days as the flavors meld. Make it early in the week for your Christmas table.
• •Serve this on your finest platter. It deserves the presentation. At Lagniappe, we use a silver tray that's been in the family for three generations.
• •If you can't find pigs' feet, two pounds of meaty pork neck bones work as a substitute, though the aspic won't be quite as clear.

Advance Preparation

• •The entire dish must be made at least one day ahead to allow the aspic to set properly. This is not optional.
• •Daube glacee keeps beautifully refrigerated for up to one week, making it ideal for holiday entertaining.
• •Slice only what you'll serve. The uncut loaf stays fresher longer.
• •Bring slices to cool room temperature for ten minutes before serving. The flavors open up slightly off refrigerator cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 180g)