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Spiced Braised Beef
(Carne Santa Fe)
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| What You Need: |
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2 pounds lean top round of beef, cut ½ inch thick and trimmed of excess fat
½ cup flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch thick rounds
1-pound can tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped, with the liquid reserved
4-ounce can green chilies (not the jalapeno variety), drained and coarsely chopped
½ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon crumbled dried mint
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle or wrapped in a kitchen towel and crushed with a kitchen mallet or the side of a cleaver
½ teaspoon salt
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels and sprinkle it evenly on both sides with the flour. With a kitchen mallet or the flat of a cleaver, pound the beef to a uniform thickness of about ¼ inch, turning the meat over from time to time. Then shake the beef vigorously to remove the excess flour.
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2. In a heavy 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Brown the beef in the hot oil, turning it occasionally with tongs and regulating the heat so that the meat colors richly and evenly without burning. Transfer the beef to a platter and set it aside.
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3. Add the onion slices to the fat remaining in the skillet and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes, until they are soft and translucent but not brown. Stir in the tomatoes, chilies, wine, brown sugar, mint, fennel and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
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4. Return the beef and the liquid that has accumulated around it to the skillet and spoon the tomato mixture over it. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan partially and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the beef shows no resistance when pierced deeply with the point of a small sharp knife.
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5. Transfer the beef to a heated platter and taste the braising sauce for seasoning. If the sauce seems thin, boil it briskly over high heat, stirring all the while. When the sauce reaches the consistency you desire, pour it over the beef. Serve the Carne Santa Fe at once.
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