Sweet-and-Sour Brisket with Shallots and New Potatoes

Ingredients

• 5 large dates pitted soft (such as Medjool)
• 4.8 pound flat parsely trimmed (also called first-cut)
• 4 large garlic clove peeled
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 2.5 cups chicken broth 
• 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 2 pounds onion thinly sliced
• 1.5 cups orange juice 
• 16 inch potatoes - remove skin scrubbed
• 16 large shallots peeled
• 1.5 cups canned tomatoes canned

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• pot
• blender
• glass baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Puree first 4 ingredients in blender until smooth.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large wide ovenproof pot over medium-high heat.
3. Add onions and whole shallots. Sauté until onions are deep golden and shallots begin to brown, about 20 minutes.
4. Transfer shallots to small bowl; reserve.
5. Add chicken broth to onions; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits.
6. Pour onion mixture into large bowl.
7. Add 2 tablespoons oil to same pot.
8. Sprinkle brisket on all sides with salt and pepper.
9. Add to pot and brown well, about 5 minutes per side. Turn brisket fat side up. Return onion mixture to pot.
10. Add tomato puree and orange juice mixture. Bring to boil, stirring to blend sauce.
11. Cover pot; bake brisket 2 hours.
12. Add shallots and potatoes. Cover; bake 1 hour. Uncover; bake until brisket is tender, occasionally spooning sauce over, about 1 hour longer.
13. Let rest 30 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.)
14. Scrape sauce off brisket.
15. Transfer brisket to work surface; slice thinly across grain, trimming any fat, if desired. Overlap hot slices on platter or cold slices in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Surround with shallots and potatoes. Rewarm sauce. Spoon some sauce over. Rewarm brisket, if necessary, in 350°F oven until heated through.
16. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.