CAZUELA DE OSOBUCO. CHILEAN BEEF POT AU FEU

This typical Chilean recipe is probably originated from France. It is a boiled dinner made with meat and vegetables that in France is called Pot Au Feu. It is a comfort food especially great in winter time, but in Chile is better made in summer time because of the fresh vegetables that are used in the elaboration of this the dish. Fresh string beans, fresh corn, butternut squash or calabaza (zapallo), peppers, fresh herbs, etc. This food is typically served in hot clay dishes that will maintain the food hot for the duration of the dinner. Usually served with a tomato salad and onions, fresh made bread (pan batido) and of course it is indispensable to serve “pebre”, that is  a cold sauce made of tomatoes, hot pepper, cilantro, garlic, onions, vinegar and oil. This sauce could be drizzle on the soup or eat it with fresh bread. (pebre sopeado con pan).  The recipe that follows is for 2 people, but you’ll have soup left over for dinner.

PORTIONS: 2

INGREDIENTS

2 pieces of beef shank with bone in center 

½ tbsp. flour

1½ tbsp. vegetable oil

8 cups (2 qt.) water

2 cubes beef bouillon

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 medium diced onion

2 sliced garlic cloves

2 large carrots sliced

1 celery rib sliced

½ red bell pepper cut in big squares

1 cup white wine (Rhine)

1 cup string beans cut in pieces

2 butternut squash shanks

2 corn on the cob cut in half.

2 red potatoes washed with skin on. I like it with skin. You may peel it if you want too.

¼ cup long grain brown rice

¾ cups water

1 tbsp. chopped cilantro

METHOD

Measure and cut all ingredients necessary for the recipe.

In a small pot cook the brown rice with ¾ cup water for about 40 minutes until soft.

Dust the beef shanks with the flour.

Heat up a frying pan with the vegetable oil and at moderate heat brown the beef on both sides. Turn off heat.

In a large pot place the beef. Pour in the 2 quarts of water. Add beef bouillon, oregano, thyme leaves, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. At moderate heat bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the flame and let simmer for about 30 minutes, until beef is seamy soft.

Same frying pan heat up again and mix in onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Keep cooking until onions start browning. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Incorporate the vegetables and liquid to the beef.

Add to the pot, string beans, butternut squash shanks, corn on the cob and potatoes. Let cook the beef with all the vegetables at a moderate heat for approximately 30 more minutes until potatoes are soft but not falling apart.

Heat the clay soup bowl dishes and serve the soup

Serve small dishes with “pebre sauce” and fresh bread.

PORTIONS: 2

INGREDIENTS

2 pieces of beef shank with bone in center 

½ tbsp. flour

1½ tbsp. vegetable oil

8 cups (2 qt.) water

2 cubes beef bouillon

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 medium diced onion

2 sliced garlic cloves

2 large carrots sliced

1 celery rib sliced

½ red bell pepper cut in big squares

1 cup white wine (Rhine)

1 cup string beans cut in pieces

2 butternut squash shanks

2 corn on the cob cut in half.

2 red potatoes washed with skin on. I like it with skin. You may peel it if you want too.

¼ cup long grain brown rice

¾ cups water
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro

METHOD

Measure and cut all ingredients necessary for the recipe.

In a small pot cook the brown rice with ¾ cup water for about 40 minutes until soft.

Dust the beef shanks with the flour.

Heat up a frying pan with the vegetable oil and at moderate heat brown the beef on both sides. Turn off heat.

In a large pot place the beef. Pour in the 2 quarts of water. Add beef bouillon, oregano, thyme leaves, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. At moderate heat bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the flame and let simmer for about 30 minutes, until beef is soft.

Same frying pan heat up again and mix in onions, garlic, carrots, red peppers and celery. Keep cooking until onions start browning. 

Deglaze the pan with the wine. 

Incorporate the vegetables and liquid to the beef.

Add to the pot, string beans, butternut squash shanks, corn on the cob and potatoes. Let cook the beef with all the vegetables at a moderate heat for approximately 30 more minutes until potatoes are soft but not falling apart.

Heat the clay soup bowl dishes and serve the soup

Serve small dishes with “pebre sauce” and fresh bread.

Ingredients for pebre

Pebre

CEDE: 1¼ tazas

INGREDIENTES
3/4 taza de cebolla picada en cuadritos.
2 cucharas de ají cacho de cabra fresco, picado con semillas.
1/3 taza de cebollinos verdes cortados a lo ancho bien delgadito.
2 dientes de ajo picados bien fino.
½ taza de tomates cortados en cuadritos.
1/4 taza de aceite de oliva.
1 cuchara de vinagre.
1/4 taza de cilantro lavado, picado.
3/4 de cucharita de sal.

PREPARACIÓN
En un recipiente mezclar todos los ingredientes y servir con sus comidas, que nunca falte en la mesa.
Nota: Si no le gusta el ajo mala cueva.

OPCIONAL:

Hay veces que prefiero hacer el pebre sin  el vinagre, por lo general es cuando lo quiero poner en una sopa. No le pongo el vinagre para que no me amargue la sopa y solo tenga el sabor de los otros condimentos del pebre.

Tomato salad with red onions

Marraqueta bread

PAN BATIDO, MARRAQUETA

This is a very popular bread in Chile. We are lucky that in Chile we have so many bakeries we can buy just fresh made bread. You may go different hours and you can find bread just coming out of the ovens. Sometimes I think I should carry a stick of butter and use it at the moment I am buying the bread, because it is so hot, the butter will melt right away. You need to use a paper bag, because if you use plastic, the bread will sweat. There are a lot of varieties so it’s tough to choose sometimes.

PORCIONES: 7 MARRAQUETAS

INGREDIENTES

45 oz. (1270 g.) Bread flour

2 tbsp. instant dry yeast

1 tbsp. salt

1½ tsp. sugar

3½ cups warm water, 110° F

METHOD

In a stand up machine mixer bowl put in flour, dry yeast, salt, sugar and warm water.  Mix in the bowl for about 8 minutes. The dough should come off loose from the bowl sides. Cover the bowl with a plastic and let it ferment for about 1 hour or until doubles in size. All depends on the room temperature.

After it doubles in size, push in the dough and turn it around. Let it double in size again.

Make 14 smooth balls with the dough.

Oil a baking sheet pan. Put 2 balls together and using a long stick push in the center of the dough length wise dividing the dough.  Do this step with all the dough balls.

Brush the top of the bread with oil.

Preheat the oven at 425° F

Place a metal container with water at the bottom of the stove to keep moisture inside the oven while baking the bread. Or you can spray some water on top while cooking.

Cook the bread until golden brown.