335. Heinen’s Sunday Supper: Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast

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4 mins read
Christina Currie with her Family

Christina Currie of Christina Currie Events coordinates countless party details each year for clients who turn to her for expert event planning advice.  When it comes to entertaining her own relatives, Christina says family traditions often take the spotlight.

Christina Currie with her Family
Christina Currie with her Family

One Currie family tradition celebrates Christina’s Italian roots and her Grandma Ann, well loved and always remembered for her delicious Beef Braciole.  Christina is sharing Grandma Ann’s Beef Braciole recipe for this week’s Heinen’s Sunday Supper, prepared with the freshest ingredients found at Barrington’s own Heinen’s Grocery.

Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast

by Christina Currie, Owner of Christina Currie Events

The weekend after Thanksgiving has always been so important to me because I still have my family in town and nobody has a hectic schedule. I create a warm holiday dinner party that gets everyone in involved.

Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast – by Christina Currie for Heinen’s Sunday Supper

I love helpers in the kitchen with preparing the charcuterie platter, salad and the bubbly bar. Getting your guests and family in the kitchen creates more conversation and laughter.

I am able to gather all my ingredients from Heinen’s. Everything from the meat, cheese, olives, and beverages are purchased underneath their roof. It makes my life so much easier!

Today I am sharing a very special family recipe for Beef Braciole that was passed down to me from my mother’s mother, my Grandma Ann. This recipe originated from her mother, Grandma Providence Sansone, and it has stood the test of time for years.

Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Christina Currie’s Grandma Ann

To make the Beef Braciole (pronounced bra’zhul which means ‘slices of beef’), a tender flank steak is pounded or butterflied to an even thickness and then rolled with a flavorful fillings; endless possibilities of fillings.

Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast – by Christina Currie for Heinen’s Sunday Supper

Heinen’s butcher always assist with preparing the flank steak, so you can just do the fun part of adding the fillings!

Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast – by Christina Currie for Heinen’s Sunday Supper

My Grandma Ann’s secret:

Brown all sides of the braciole
Wine
Slow cook for 2-3 hours

Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast – by Christina Currie for Heinen’s Sunday Supper

This family holiday traditional Italian meal brings back some very happy family memories for me. The braciole is usually served with pasta, roasted vegetables, cranberry & cherry relish, leafy green salad, and garlic bread.

My hope with cooking in the kitchen with my guests and family is that they will learn to appreciate the fabulous foods and dining, instead of just eating for the sake of eating.  Eating the meal is just the small part of enjoyment for me.  Learning which ingredients complement other ingredients and cooking with my family is what I enjoy the most.

Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast – by Christina Currie for Heinen’s Sunday Supper

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Grandma Ann’s Braciole

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
2 garlic clove, minced
2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1/3 cup grated Provolone
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak
1 cup dry white wine
3 1/4 cups store-bought marinara sauce

Directions:

Stir the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.

Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface.

Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly.

Starting at 1 short end, roll up the steak as for a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher’s twine, tie the steak roll to secure. Sprinkle the braciole with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 325F

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat.

Add the braciole and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.

Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the marinara sauce.

Cover partially with foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes.

After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer.

The total cooking time should be about 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve.

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Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

Green beans
Butternut squash (already cut into cubes in Heinen’s fresh produce section)
Red onion
Red and yellow peppers
Zucchini
Yellow squash
Grape tomatoes

Directions:

Cut all fresh vegetables into small squares.

Toss them in Two Brother’s Italian olive oil

Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper

Roast at 450F for 30 minutes

Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast – by Christina Currie for Heinen’s Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann's Braciole Feast - by Christina Currie for Heinen's Sunday Supper
Grandma Ann’s Braciole Feast – by Christina Currie for Heinen’s Sunday Supper

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Cranberry and Cherry Relish

Ingredients:

1 bag of fresh cranberries
1 bag of frozen cherries
1 cup of sugar
1 teas fresh ginger
½ cup fresh orange zest
Grand Marnier to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a small stockpot over medium heat. Cook until cranberries and cooked down.

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Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

Heinen’s Artisan bread
1 clove of fresh garlic
1/3 Heinen’s Italian olive oil
½ cup Heinen’s grated Pecorino Romano

Directions

Score the bread

Mince the garlic clove into the 1/3 cup olive oil

Add cheeses in between the scores of the bread

Bake for 10 minutes at 375F

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Charcuterie Platter

This is always so much fun to put together with my daughters. We gather soft, mild, and hard cheeses from the amazing cheese department at Heinen’s. We like to pair our cheeses with olives, jams, and crackers. You really can do anything you wish with a Charcuterie platter, there are rules to follow.

Here’s our favorite platter pairings:

Brie
Sharp cheddar cheese
Manchego
Sweet cherry peppers
A variety of olives
Salami
Sea salt crackers
Bread sticks

Pull out your wood carving board and a couple of wine glasses to hold all of your fun foods.

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Bubble Bar

Ingredients:

1 bottle of Prosecco
Cranberry Juice
Pomegranate Juice
Amaretto
Green sugar
Simple syrup

Directions:

Dip rim of flute into syrup

Dip rim of flute into green sugar

Pour juice of choice into flute

Pour Prosecco until the level is ½” below the sugar rim

Simple syrup recipe

1 part sugar to 1 part water
In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool.

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Heinen’s Grocery is located at 500 N. Hough Street, between E. Main Street and Route 14 (next to Meathead’s) in Barrington, Illinois. They’re open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit Heinens.com.

Heinen's Grocery Store in Barrington, Illinois
Heinen’s Grocery Store in Barrington, Illinois

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