All black: Arzak’s “modern stew” has become the symbol of a cuisine that amplifies flavor and emphasizes presentation. Will you try making it yourself?
Beef Stew “in Its Own Juices”
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the beef cheeks:
- 2 beef cheeks
- 1 dl extra virgin olive oil
- 2 onions
- 2 leeks
- 2 shallots
- 2 carrots
- 1 small glass of brandy
- ¼ l port wine
- ½ l red wine
- 1 vanilla bean
- 25 g pineapple
- ¾ l beef broth
- Water as needed
- Salt
Cheek and Sesame Sauce:
- 200 g cooking liquid from the cheeks
- 80 g black sesame seeds
Parsley Yogurt:
- 100 g plain yogurt
- 15 g sugar
- Chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
Garnish:
- Edible flowers and sprouts
Method
The Cheeks
- Trim and julienne the vegetables. Sauté them over low heat with half the oil (soffritto).
- Season the cheeks with salt and sear them over high heat in the remaining oil. Once browned, remove the excess oil and flambé them with the brandy.
- Deglaze with the port and red wine. Let the liquid reduce, then add the vanilla bean seeds and the pineapple.
- Add the previously sautéed vegetables and let everything absorb the flavors well.
- Cover the meat with half the broth and an equal amount of water. Simmer until the cheek is very tender.
- Let the meat cool outside the cooking liquid. Once cool, cut it into thick, triangular slices (escalopes).
- Meanwhile, bring the cooking liquid with the vegetables to a boil. Remove the vanilla pod and pineapple, then blend and strain everything through a fine-mesh sieve.
Cheek and Sesame Sauce
Combine the strained liquid with black sesame seeds and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain again and season with salt.
Parsley Yogurt
Mix all ingredients thoroughly until smooth.
Plating
Just before serving, warm the beef cheek slices directly in the sesame sauce. Place a spoonful of parsley yogurt in the center of the plate and arrange the beef cheek slices on top. Drizzle with the sauce and garnish the dish with fresh flowers and sprouts.
Recipe adapted from the book Arzak + Arzak, Planeta Gastro
