Buffalo Cacciatore with Polenta (serves 6 to 10)
This recipe was inspired by my friend Maria’s grandmother, Gelsomina. I have stayed true to Gelsomina’s seasonings, and have substituted only those ingredients that I felt she would have approved of (wine instead of water and fresh tomatoes for tomato paste), and of course buffalo in place of chicken.
Ingredients:
- 1 – 3 lb. Wild Idea buffalo roast cut into steaks or 3 lb. Stew Meat
- 2 – Tbl. olive oil
- 1 – Tbl. Italian seasoning
- 1 – tsp. paprika
- ¼ – tsp. allspice
- ¼ – tsp. cinnamon
- 1 – tsp. salt
- 1 – tsp. black pepper
- 1 – onion, diced
- 3 – cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 – cups white wine
- 4 – ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, plus juice
- 2 – Tbl. ketchup (or tomato paste)
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
- Rinse meat and blot dry.
- Mix all dry spices together and rub into meat.
- Over medium high heat, heat oil in heavy sauté pan and brown meat. You may need to do this in two batches.
- Place browned meat in heavy casserole dish.
- Add onion and garlic to sauté pan and sauté for 4 minutes.
- Deglaze pan with wine, and add tomatoes and ketchup or paste. Bring to a boil.
- Pour tomato sauce over meat and cover casserole dish. Place in hot oven and braise for 1.5 hours. Check for tenderness and continue braising if needed.
- Prepare polenta as directed.
- Spoon polenta on serving platter and top with Buffalo Cacciatore.
Note: Gelsomina also had a couple of side notes: *You do not have to raise your own chickens (buffalo) to make the dish. *And, you can add black olives and mushrooms if you like. I sautéed the mushrooms and olives and added to platter, giving eager eaters the option.
Gelsomina and her husband Caesar immigrated to America in1899, where the settled in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Their story is beautifully written by Maria in her book “Gelsomina’s Story of Ceasar Lucchesi”, which can be purchased, at thelucchesistory.com.
Wine Pairing: 2007, Chianiti Rufina, Tuscany Italy