Caoila Portuguese Stewed Beef Food

CAçOILA | PORTUGUESE STEWED BEEF

Steps:

• The day before cooking, in a large bowl, coat the beef with the crushed red pepper, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• About 4 hours before you intend to sit down at the table, scatter the onion slices, parsley, garlic, and bay leaves in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Tuck the allspice and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth tied together with kitchen twine or in a tea ball and toss them in the Dutch oven. If desired, season the beef with salt. Place the beef on top and dot with the butter or lard.
• In a measuring glass or bowl, stir together the wine, tomato paste, and cinnamon and pour it over the beef.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the pieces occasionally. For a more stew-like version, keep the lid on for the duration of cooking. For a more concentrated, glaze-like sauce version, about halfway through cooking, remove the lid to let some of the liquid evaporate so the sauce can concentrate in consistency and flavor.
• Remove the bay leaves and the cheesecloth pouch or teaball. If desired, serve the caçoila with boiled white potatoes, roasted red peppers, and cooked greens. Originally published May 10, 2001.

CACOILA (PORTUGUESE STEWED BEEF)

Steps:

• The day before cooking, marinate meat with crushed red peppers in a plastic bag or covered dish, overnight.
• Place onion slices, parsley, garlic and bay leaf in the bottom of a large heavy Dutch oven.
• Place meat on top, dot with butter, and pour combined wine and tomato sauce over all.
• Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over very low heat for 3 to 4 hours, until meat is very tender and sauce is thickened.
• Serve with pasta, rice or boiled white potatoes.

PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE AND BEAN STEW

Steps:

• If using dried beans, add the beans to a large bowl, cover by 2 inches with cold water and let soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain and set aside. If using canned beans, drain and rinse.
• Add the bacon, if using, to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and cook until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and return the skillet to the stovetop. Add the sausage and cook until browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to a bowl and reserve.
• Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet and return to the stove over medium heat. When the fat shimmers, add the onion and garlic, stir to coat in fat, and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the potatoes and stir to coat in the tomato paste. Add the beans, chorizo, and all remaining ingredients, except the bacon, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the flavors have melded and the dried beans are cooked through, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Crumble the bacon into beans, and season with additional salt, if needed. Remove the bay leaf, transfer the beans to a serving bowl and serve.

PORTUGUESE STEW

Steps:

• You will need two large saucepots. In one pot saute one onion and half the garlic in 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil until transparent. Cut Portuguese chourico into desired pieces, and add 1 pound to the onion mixture. Add 3 tablespoons crushed red pepper in vinegar.
• Do the same exact thing in the other large saucepot.
• To one pot, add 4 cups water, 1 can of tomatoes, ketchup, Portuguese allspice, if using, and chopped parsley. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add potatoes, skins on, cut in desired pieces. When potatoes are almost cooked, add fresh green beans or pea pods. Do not overcook the beans or peas unless you like overdone vegetables.
• To the other pot, add the remaining tomatoes, and wine or vermouth. Add lobster tails, clams, mussels, and fish. Steam until the shellfish opens and serve together with the stew.

PORTUGUESE CHOURICO STEW

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute chourico, onion and garlic until onion is tender. Stir in tomato sauce, water and potatoes. Season with red pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir in green beans, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until heated through.

MOM'S PORTUGUESE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Dust the beef with the flour. Place the beef, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper in the stockpot; cook until the beef is brown; season with salt and cook until beef is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, carrot, and paprika; cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato, wine, water, and parsley. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes.
• Mix in the red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green beans; continue to cook until potatoes are easily pierced through with a fork, about 45 minutes.

PORTUGUESE BEEF AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan until very hot, add the beef and fry for 2-3 minutes to seal on all sides.
• Add onion, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and heat to simmering point.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• Remove the lid, raise the heat, bring to the boil and continue to boil rapidly, uncovered for 5 minutes to reduce the amount of liquid.
• Before serving sprinkle with the fresh cilantro.

CACOILA (PORTUGUESE STEWED PORK)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Cut excess fat from the pork and then cut into 2-inch cubes; place meat into an oven-safe casserole that has a lid.
• In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over pork in casserole.
• Gently massage wine and seasonings into the meat and cover casserole; place in oven for about 2 1/2 hours.
• You will want to periodically check that the meat to be sure it is tenderizing and that the flavors are blending in; also, be sure that all the liquid does not evaporate (you can add additional wine or water).
• Once you can easily break the meat apart with a fork, it is done.