Servings: 6
INGREDIENTS
- 4½ pounds/2 kilograms beef cheeks
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 celery bunch
- Water to cover the meat
- 2 tablespoons oil
Sauce:
- 2 cups chickpeas, soaked over night (or canned chickpeas)
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1 cilantro bunch, chopped
- 8 crushed red pepper
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ⅓ ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
Red oil:
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat up the oil in a pot over medium-high heat and sear the beef cheeks on all sides for about 4 minutes. Add the onion and celery, add water to cover the beef, cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 hours.
- Filter the water and save it. Allow the beef to rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into cubes (optional: you can remove the fat at this point).
- Heat up the pot again over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoon of oil.
- Fry the red pepper strips until tender. Add the garlic cloves, spices, chickpeas and chili peppers and mix. Add the beef and fry for another 3 minutes, while stirring. Pour in the cooking water you set aside earlier to fully cover the beef. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes over high heat. Lower to low heat, cover with a lid and cook for 2 hours.
- Uncover, add the red oil and cilantro and cook for 15 minutes to reduce the liquid. Turn off the heat and wait 10 minutes. Serve with fresh bread.
RECIPE NOTES
- This stew can also be made with minute steak roast, shank and short ribs.
- If you use a different cut than the beef cheeks, don't forget to add salt. There's no salt in this recipe since beef cheeks tend to be very salty naturally.