Arabesque Braised Beef

Sunday lunch is always a conundrum as to what to serve. Lately, I have been revisiting some of my beloved Middle Eastern cookbooks. My prized possessions are Claudia Roden's New book Of Middle Eastern Food, Recipes And Remembrances by Sonia Uvezian off the top of my head but I own many more.  What I adore about this type of cuisine is the gentle fragrance of the lightly spiced food. You can detect spices but somehow your palate is not overwhelmed by them.

So with that in mind my lunch table today was very arabesque. I prepared beef braised with carrots in a spice scented sauce and to partner with I prepared green beans with tomatoes. I felt the two worked magically as the tomato flavour of the beans complemented the spicy beef. I suppose this can be similar to a tagine or a khoresht but I felt that it really was neither of the two in the end. Not quite a tagine because I sometimes feel a tagine should also include nuts or fruit and definitely not a khoresht because of the absence of dried limes and saffron. However, what it does have in common with the Moroccan and Persian stews is the technique. The fact that it is a braised dish and beautifully balanced with the right amount of spices.

This dish is a nice starting point for you if you are curious about Middle Eastern cuisine. Although I have posted a recipe I do hope you simply use it as a guide and try to improvise in whatever way you wish. For instance if you feel you want to add more of any of the spices then do. If you require more chilis then add. All you need to understand from the recipe is the technique. It is a braised dish which requires a small amount of liquid to cook the beef and a low and slow cooking time. I urge you to pair this dish with the grean beans and tomatoes and of course the quintessential side dish of the Middle East - basmati rice.

Arabesque Braised Beef

Ingredients:
2lbs cubed beef clod/chuck
1 large onion thinly sliced
6 cloves of garlic minced
1 large carrot sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red chilis (or to your taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
juice of 1 lime

Spice Blend:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger

Heat the coriander seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant then blend in a grinder with the other spices. Set aside.

To make the Beef:
1. Heat the oil in a fairly large pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and the garlic with a little salt. Add to the spice mixture about 3 tbsp of water and add that to the onion mixture.
2. Once the water has evaporated from the spice mixture then add the beef and saute. Season the meat well with salt and pepper and add about 1 cup of water. Add the carrots and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it has come to a boil reduce to a simmer on a gentle heat and let it cook for about 1 1/2 hours. Check the pot and stir it every 30 minutes or so. I doubt you would require more water - I didn't.
3. Once the meat is tender, turn off the stove and just let the meat sit until it is warm. Do not eat this dish piping hot as the flavours meld better as it cools. I did not have fresh chopped coriander which I usually garnish with but I urge you to garnish with it as the coriander further enhances the flavour of the dish. Enjoy!

Green Beans With Tomatoes
Ingredient:
1/2 lb green beans ( I always cut mine in half lenghtways)
4 medium tomatoes chopped
1 medium onion sliced
4 cloves of garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of sugar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat then add the tomatoes, onions and garlic. Let this mixture cook for about 10 minutes adding salt, pepper and a tip of sugar to reduce the acidity of the tomates. Once the tomatoes have softened and released their liquid add the green beans and more salt to taste. Let this cook for a further 10 minutes or until the beans are soft enough for your taste. Enjoy!