Shortcut Beef Catalan Food

CATALAN TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Cut the tomato in half and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater. Reserve the tomato pulp.
• Grill the bread slices on both sides until they are slightly charred. When the bread comes off the grill rub each slice with a garlic clove and drizzle generously with olive oil. Top each toast with tomato pulp and a tiny sprinkle of salt. Cover tomato with a slice of ham and serve.
• Cinchy!

SHORTCUT BEEF CATALAN

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium-size Dutch oven over moderate heat 1 minute. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until only browned bits remain, about 5 minutes. Lift brown bits to paper toweling to drain. Raise burner heat to high.
• Pat ground chuck into large flat patty and brown in drippings, allowing about 3 minutes per side; life to plate and reserve.
• Reduce heat to moderate; add onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaves, thyme, orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves to Dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes until onions are golden.
• Add consomme and wine, bring to gentle boil, set lid on askew, and cook 15 minutes. Lay meat patty on top of stew, set lid on askew, and cook 15 minutes more.
• Break meat into 1 1/2-inch clumps, mix in salsa and tomato paste, and cook uncovered 5 minutes. Add cannellini, parsley, and reserved bacon and bring just to serving temperature. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and cinnamon stick, ladle into heated soup plates, and serve.

CATALAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160°C Heat a large flameproof casserole dish over high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Add 60ml (1/4 cup) of the oil to the casserole dish. Add one-quarter of the beef and cook, turning, for 5 minutes or until brown. Transfer to the bowl with the pancetta. Repeat, in 3 more batches, with the remaining beef, reheating the dish between batches.
• Add the vinegar to the dish and cook, stirring to dislodge any bits that have cooked on to the base, for 1-2 minutes. Pour over the beef mixture.
• Heat the remaining oil in the dish over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the beef mixture, stock, wine, tomato paste, cinnamon, thyme, orange peel and chocolate. Cover with foil and a tight-fitting lid. Bring to the boil. Bake in oven for 2 hours or until the beef is tender. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool. Place in the fridge for 6 hours to chill.
• Preheat oven to 160°C Use a spoon to remove any fat from the surface of the stew. Cook the stew, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes or until heated through. Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes or until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens. Sprinkle the stew with parsley to serve.