Italian Braised Beef With Garlic and Mushrooms

I found this recipe a couple of weeks back in Metro News, a free newspaper published daily in Toronto. It was ideal for using up a cup of crushed tomatoes that I had in the freezer, left over from another recipe. The sauce is delicious. Because of the small amount of meat called for in the recipe, I would suggest doing as I did and using eye of the round steaks, which I sliced thinly after the dish finished cooking.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
• 1  cup boiling water
• 1  cup crushed tomatoes
• 1  cup dry red wine
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 3  carrots, julienned
• 2  celery ribs, julienned
• 4  garlic cloves, slivered
• 4  teaspoons brown sugar
• 3⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  lb  boneless eye of round beef steak, trimmed of fat

Directions

1. Combine the mushrooms and boiling water in a small bowl and let stand for 20 minutes.
2. With the fingers, scoop the mushrooms out of the liquid.
3. Strain the mushroom soaking liquid through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside.
4. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Combine the mushrooms, soaking liquid, tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, carrots, celery, garlic, brown sugar, oregano, salt and pepper in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole.
7. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
8. Add the meat to the pan and return to the boil.
9. Cover, place in the oven, and bake until the meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
10. Slice the meat and serve with the vegetables and sauce.