Dominican Beef - Family Table Cookbook

From Family Table Cookbook

Dominican Beef

Once in a while, a favorite family meal dish makes the jump it’s beloved by a bunch of restaurant professionals, why not share it with the customers? Victor Estrella, a porter at Union Square Cafe, has been serving up this traditional Dominican beef stew at family meal since he came to the Cafe in the early 1990s, and over time it’s become part of restaurant lore, an informal entry on the list of standard employee benefits. Now it’s part of the weekend brunch menu so that patrons can enjoy it as well.

Serve over rice.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

3 pounds hanger or skirt steak, excess fat trimmed (we did 2.5 lbs, I think 2 would even be enough)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced (we did large)
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide slices (we did large)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste (we did around 2 tbs.)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups Chicken Stock
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 scallions, cut into ¼- to ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Slice the hanger steak into thin strips about 3 inches long and ¹⁄8 inch thick, or slice the skirt steak against the grain into strips about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato paste, beef, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until the beef is very tender but not falling apart, about 2 hours; if the dish gets too dry, add up to ½ cup water at a time, but no more—you don’t want it to be soupy. (The beef can be cooked to this point up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated; you may need to add water when reheating.)

Add the cilantro and scallions and cook for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook for 5 minutes longer, then serve.

Mujadara - lentils, rice & leeks make magic

From Melissa Clark and NYT
INGREDIENTS
1 cup brown or green lentils
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, roots trimmed
2 1/4 teaspoons salt, more as needed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick (used 1/8 teaspoon ground)
4 cups trimmed and chopped spring greens (chard leaves, spinach, kale, mustard or a combination)

PREPARATION
1. Place lentils in a large bowl and add warm tap water to cover by 1 inch. Let soak.
2. Meanwhile, halve leeks lengthwise; run under warm water to release any grit. Thinly slice leeks crosswise.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer half the leeks to a bowl to use for garnish and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. Stir garlic into the pot with the remaining leeks and cook for 15 seconds until fragrant. Stir in rice and sauté 2 minutes. Stir in cumin, allspice and cayenne; sauté 30 seconds.
5. Drain lentils and stir into pot. Add 4 1/4 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Rinse greens in a colander and spread damp leaves over lentil mixture. Cover and cook 5 minutes more, until rice and lentils are tender and greens are wilted. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with reserved crispy leeks.