Name: Beef Braised in Barolo
Yield: Serves 8 or more
Ingredients: 6 1/2 to 7-pound boneless beef roast, chuck or bottom round, trimmed of fat; 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 medium onions (1 1/4 pounds total), peeled and quartered; 5 big carrots (about 2/3 pound), peeled and cut in 2-inch wedges; 6 big celery stalks (2/3 pound total), cut in 2-inch chunks; 8 plump garlic cloves, peeled; 3 branches fresh rosemary with lots of needles; 8 large fresh sage leaves; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1 1/4 teaspoons whole black peppercorns; 1 1/4 ounces dried porcini slices (about 1 1/4 cups, loosely packed); Three 750-milliliter bottles Barolo, or as needed; 3 cups beef stock, or as needed; Freshly ground black pepper to taste; A heavy 6-quart saucepan or enameled cast-iron French oven, round or oval, with a cover; select a pot in which the roast will fit with no more than 2 inches of space around it—the less space in the pot, the less wine you'll need; A meat thermometer

Beef Braised in BaroloPatrick Decker

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Lidia's Italy by Lidia Bastianich. It's part of a special menu created by Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Stufato al Barolo

Barolo is the king of Italian reds, a big wine, full of flavors, aromas, and lots of tannins. When you braise a beef shoulder or other big roast in a good Barolo, these elements permeate the meat and create a distinctive and complex sauce. Even if you are thousands of miles away, there's no doubt you will be transported to Piemonte for a few hours while the beef cooks to melting tenderness.

When you actually get to visit Piemonte, be sure to enjoy the region's renowned beef, from the Fassone breed of cattle, which yields lean and yet delicious meat. In addition to stufato al Barolo, Fassone beef served raw in carpaccio or steak tartare will be often on menus. In the fall, when the white truffle is in season, these dishes will be served with shavings of tartufo. This is food that we just can't replicate at home—I hope you get to Piemonte and savor it in situ.

Recipe notes

Charred Vegetable Ragù

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Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

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A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Slow-Smoked Chicken

An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.

Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio

Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.