Tag: beef
Suugo (Somali Spaghetti Sauce)
Suugo (Somali Spaghetti Sauce)
Suugo is the Somali version of spaghetti sauce. Baasta iyo suugo translates to pasta in sauce. Italy once colonized the southern part of Somalia, introducing garlic and onion to their cuisine. Suugo specifically uses red onion, green bell pepper, and beef stew meat. The addition of xawaash gives the tomato sauce a unique savory flavor. Suugo is garnished with cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. And with most Somali dishes, a banana is served on the side. Sounds weird, but it works.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat 1/2” cubes
- 2 medium tomatoes diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp xawaash
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 lb spaghetti al dente
- bananas 1 per person
Garnish
- cilantro chopped
- lime juice
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and green peppers for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add in the beef. Sauté for 5 minutes until browned.
- Add in the tomatoes, tomato paste, xawaash, sugar, and black pepper. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Uncover. Season with salt.
Xawaash
Xawaash (pronounced hawaaj) is a complex spice blend used in Somali cuisine; much like berbere is used in Ethiopian cuisine. It is used in dishes such as suugar, a meat and vegetable stew, and suugo, a Somali pasta sauce. I highly recommend that you lightly dry toast the whole spices. It completely changes the flavor, making the xawaash more aromatic.
Equipment
- Spice grinder
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- 3 tbsp cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp green cardamom pods
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
Ground Spices
- 1 tbsp ground sage
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Dry toast the whole spices in a skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Grind the whole spice in a spice grinder. Mix together with the other ground spices. Store in a container for up to 3 months.
Machaca con Heuvos
Machaca con Heuvos
The first time I’ve had machaca was in Vegas at my favorite taco joint, Roberto’s. Machaca is shredded dried beef, sort of like jerky without the smoke, cooked with onions and tomatoes in scrambled eggs. They served it with beans and tortillas. It was so good, I went back the next night and had it in a giant burrito. You can find machaca and any latin grocery store. I actually found some at my local Asian market in their Mexican section. It is sold shredded in containers or in whole pieces. If you buy the whole pieces, the best way to shred is in a food processor.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup white onion chopped
- 1/2 cup dried beef
- 1/2 cup tomatoes chopped
- 1 serrano pepper chopped
- 3 large eggs beaten
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 4 minutes.
- Add in the dried beef. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- If the oil has been soaked up by the beef, add another tbsp. Add in the tomatoes and serrano peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Lower the heat. Pour in the eggs and scramble. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Season with salt.
Argentinian Style Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Argentinian Style Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Argentinians love beef. They happen to have the second highest consumption rate of beef in the world, consuming an average of 125lbs per person annually. They are the third largest beef exporter in the world, right behind Brazil and Australia. It’s safe to say, they know beef.Argentinian style steaks are prepared very simply; nothing more than olive oil, sea salt and cracked black pepper. Their steaks are always grilled over a charcoal flame. The steaks are served with chimichurri sauce, which is the Argentinian version of steak sauce. Chimichurri is red wine vinegar based, with cilantro, parsley, garlic, and onions. Great steak options for grilling include ribeye, ny strip, porterhouse, top sirloin, flank steak, and skirt steak. Before you cook your steaks, let them rest at room temp for 30 minutes. To get a perfect medium rare, I like to have my steaks 1 1/4”thick, cooked 5-6 minutes a side. If you don’t have a charcoal grill: broiling, pan frying, or even baking in the oven are still good methods of cooking. High heat is the key to great steaks, so get your grill, broiler, pan, or oven hot. Your steaks will only need to be flipped once, so don’t futz around with it. Once the steak is finished to your desired doneness, let them rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Equipment
- food processor
- chimney starter
- charcoal
- charcoal grill
Ingredients
- new york strip, ribeye, porterhouse, or t-bone 1 1/4” thick
- olive oil
- coarse ground sea salt
- coarse ground black pepper
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 medium white onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp coarse ground sea salt
- 1/2 tsp corase ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp hot chili flakes
Instructions
Chimichurri Sauce
- Blend all of the ingredients together. Let sit in the refrigerator for 2 hours before using.
Argentinian Style Steak
- Rub a very small amount of olive oil on your steak. Coat each side with a generous amount of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. Let rest at room temp for 30 minutes.
- Let your charcoal turn gray in your chimney starter. Pour in the grill and place on the grate. Place the steak directly over the charcoal.
- Grill the steaks for 5-6 minutes a side for medium rare, flipping only once. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Spoon chimichurri over your steak.
