Fresh beef brisket, about a 4 lb. center-cut piece
3 med. onions, cut into 1/2 inch thick slcies
1 1/2 c. dry red wine, such as Zinfandel
1/4 c. EACH firmly packed brown sugar & red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. paprika
3 lg. cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. EACH cornstarch & water (opt.)
Chopped parsley

Trim off excess fat and lay brisket in a rectangular or oval pan (about 8 x 15 inches). Bake, uncovered, in a 450 degree oven until top browns lightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn meat over and bake until top browns, about 15 minutes more. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Arrange onion slices, overlapping on top of brisket.

Combine wine, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, paprika and garlic and pour over meat; cover tightly with foil. Bake until meat is very tender when pierced, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. To thicken juices, transfer to a 1 to 1 1/2 quart pan. Cover meat and keep hot.

Mix cornstarch and water and stir into juices. Boil over high heat, stirring, until thickened. Serve from a small dish or pour over meat and onions. Sprinkle meat with parsley. Makes 6 to 8 servings.