Sticky Balsamic Beef Sliders with Celeriac Remoulade

Today is a sunny winter day and it seems like winter is coming to an end. Being a summer person, I'm happy that winter is going to be over soon... but feeling sad now that I'm going to miss all the slow cooking.

Like the black vinegar braised beef that I have cooked previously, this is also one of beef brisket slow cooking recipes from the winter issue of Donna Hay magazine. Unlike the black vinegar braised beef. this Italian and French influenced balsamic beef sliders is less salty and extra tasty when it is served with celeriac remoulade.

Remoulade is like a French version of mayonnaise. It is often seasoned with mustard and commonly used as a salad dressing to eat with thinly sliced celeriac. I have never tried cooking or eating celeriac and fennel before and reckon this recipe is a great opportunity for me to explore new taste and ingredients.

Not surprising at all, my husband and son enjoy eating these balsamic beef sliders. And, not surprising too that my husband and son didn't like the celeriac remoulade but I think this combination works very well for me.

Sticky Balsamic Beef Sliders with Celeriac Remoulade

Before baking...

after 3 1/2 hr of baking...

fresh bread rolls!

This is my first time using these interesting ingredients

Bon Appétit

Here are the recipes (with my modification in blue)

Sticky Balsamic Beef Sliders with Celeriac Remoulade from Donna Hay Magazine Issue 63 Winter 2012

Makes 8

 Sticky Balsamic Beef Sliders

1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp caraway seeds
4 cloves garlic, crushed (and minced)
1 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 kg beef brisket, trimmed and cut into 2 pieces
3 cups (750ml) balsamic vinegar
1 cup (175g) brown sugar
8 small brioche rolls, halved (I baked my own rolls, see below)

Celeriac and Fennel Remoulade

white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup (60g) sour cream (replaced by plain yogurt)
1 tsp hot English mustard (replaced with Dijon mustard)
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
sea salt and cracked black pepper
150g celeriac (celery root), peeled and thinly sliced 
(and cut into strips)
150g baby fennel, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the fennel and caraway seeds, garlic, salt and olive oil in a mortar and pestle and grind to combine. Rub the beef with the spice mixture and place in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 3-31/2 hrs or until tender (I did mine for 3 1/2 hr), turning halfway through. Remove the beef from the cooking liquid and use 2 forks to shred. Discard any fat. Return beef to the pan and mix with the cooking liquid. Set aside.

To make the celeriac and fennel remoulade, place the sour cream, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine. Add the celeriac and fennel and mix to coat. Fill the rolls with the remoulade and beef to serve. 

Golden Butter Buns from King Arthur Flour

Yield: 16 buns

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

(I use a combination of bread flour and Italian OO flour in the ratio of 1:4)
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes (I used potato flakes)
3 tbsp Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp soft butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk

Topping : 2 tbsp melted butter (replaced with milk)

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead - using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle - to make a soft, smooth dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased container - an 8-cup measure works well here. Cover the container, and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 mins, until it's just about doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

Divide the dough into 16 (or 12) equal pieces, by dividing in half, then in halves again, etc. Round each piece into a smooth ball.

Lightly grease two 8" round cake pans. Space 8 buns in each pan (or place all 12 buns in a 20 cm x 33 cm rectangle pan).

Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they're crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Uncover the buns, (brushed them with milk) and bake them for 22 to 24 min, until they're golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the center bun should register at least 190°F.

Remove the buns from the oven, and brush with the melted butter (I didn't do this). After a couple of min, turn them out of the pan onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm. Store leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.

Note: To make bread dough, I've placed all my ingredients into my bread-maker and use "dough" setting to knead and prove the dough for 1 hr plus 30 min extra in the bread-maker. I baked my buns at 180°C fan forced for 18 min.

Happy Baking

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