Comfort from the inside out

When it’s cold outside, the richness of this Zinfandel-Braised Beef Brisket with Onions and Potatoes will comfort you inside. But not at the cost of fat and calories; with all its heartiness, a serving has less than 10 grams of fat.

The recipe is from the January-February issue of Cooking Light magazine, and it comes under the heading of “season’s best.”

More good news: The editors point out that the dish requires minimal preparation, so that as it bakes in the oven you will have time to set the table, prepare dessert and enjoy a glass of zinfandel. “Thanks to its distinctive fruitiness, it’s the wine of choice to season the beef and vegetables as they braise,” they say.

Zinfandel-Braised Beef Brisket with Onions and Potatoes

From Cooking Light magazine, January-February 2005

2 cups zinfandel or other fruity dry red wine

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup tomato paste

One 2 1/2 -pound beef brisket, trimmed

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

8 cups sliced Walla Walla or other sweet onion (about 4 medium)

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch slices

2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 -inch thick slices

1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into quarters

1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine wine, chicken broth and tomato paste, stirring with a whisk.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook for 8 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan; cover and set aside.

Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, onion, sugar and 1 teaspoon thyme to pan. Cook 20 minutes or until onions are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, carrots and celery; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place beef on top of onion mixture; pour wine mixture over beef. Cover and place in oven.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 3/4 hours.

While the beef cooks, place potatoes in a large bowl. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, oil, oregano and red pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer on a jellyroll pan coated with cooking spray.

Remove beef from oven; turn beef over. Place potatoes on lower rack in oven. Cover beef; return to oven. Bake potatoes and beef at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until beef is tender. Remove beef from oven; cover and keep warm. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Place potatoes on middle rack in oven, bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until crisp and edges are browned.

Remove beef from pan; cut across the grain into thin slices. Serve with onion mixture and potatoes. Sprinkle with onion mixture and potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size about 3 ounces beef, 3/4 cup onion mixture and 1/2 cup potatoes).

Nutrition information per serving: 342 calories, 9.5 grams fat (3.1 grams saturated, 25 percent fat calories), 27.2 grams protein, 34.4 grams carbohydrate, 70 milligrams cholesterol, 4.7 grams dietary fiber, 619 milligrams sodium.