Tunisian Chili Crusted Beef Food

MUSTARD-AND-CHILE-RUBBED ROASTED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Tie roast with kitchen string in three evenly spaced places to help keep its tubular shape.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, the mustard, oregano, chipotle chile, chile powder, cumin, black pepper and garlic.
• In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil until very hot. Season beef generously all over with salt. Place it in pan and sear bottom without moving until it forms a golden brown crust, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and repeat with remaining sides.
• Transfer beef to a rimmed baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, smear mustard-chile rub all over beef. Roast until a thermometer registers 115 degrees for rare and 120 for medium-rare (beef will continue to cook as it rests), 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely, then wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.

CRISPY CHILLI BEEF

Steps:

• Put 350g thin-cut minute steak strips in a bowl and toss in 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder.
• Heat 100ml vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot, then add the beef and fry until golden and crisp.
• Scoop out the beef and drain on kitchen paper. Pour away all but 1 tbsp oil.
• Add 1 thinly sliced red pepper, ½ thinly sliced red chilli, sliced white ends of 4 spring onions, 2 crushed garlic cloves and thumb-sized piece ginger, cut into matchsticks, to the pan. Stir-fry for 3 mins to soften, but don't let the garlic and ginger burn.
• Mix the 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup in a jug with 2 tbsp water, then pour over the veg.
• Bubble for 2 mins, then add the beef back to the pan and toss well to coat.
• Serve the beef on noodles with prawn crackers, if you like, scattered with the remaining ½ sliced red chilli and sliced green parts of the spring onions.

TUNISIAN BEEF STEW (LIFTIYYA)

Steps:

• Roll the meat in Tabil and black pepper.
• In a casserole, heat the olive the oil over medium heat.
• Brown the meat with the onions until coated with a syrupy gravy, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of the water, the Harissa, chickpeas, and cayenne, and bring to a boil, stirring.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water, the turnips, parsley, spinach, and salt, season with black pepper, and cook until the turnips are easily pierced with a skewer, about an hour.
• Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

HEALTHY CHILLI

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the beef pieces for a few mins on each side until browned all over. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pan, with extra oil if needed, and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic, cumin and chipotle paste, and cook for 1 min. Sieve the kidney beans, reserving the sauce. Add this sauce, along with the chopped tomatoes and a can full of water, to the pan. Stir well, then return the meat to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then cook, covered, for 2 hrs or until the beef is tender (or bake in the oven for 3 hrs at 160C/140C fan/gas 3).
• Add the reserved kidney beans and lime zest, season and warm through. Serve with a scattering of coriander leaves, the lime wedges to squeeze over, and rice, if you like.

MEXICAN BEEF CHILLI

Steps:

• Heat a small drizzle of the oil in an extra-large flameproof dish. Brown the meat in batches, adding a drop more oil, remove from the dish and set aside. Add 1 tbsp oil to the dish, then the onions, and cook for 7-10 mins or until caramelised.
• Stir the chipotle paste, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and flour in with the onions and cook for a couple of mins. Gradually add the stock, stirring all the time, so it's fully mixed in with the other ingredients. Add the tomatoes and oregano, season and simmer for 10 mins.
• Now tip in the beef, cover and simmer very gently for about 1 hr 45 mins until tender, removing the lid and adding the beans for the final 15 mins. If the sauce is thin, let it boil down for a further 5-10 mins with the lid off. Before serving, adjust the seasoning. Serve with the garlic bread and salsa.