Matambre
Photography by Becky Nunes.
This is a traditional Argentinean dish that literally translates to “kill hunger”, as you can keep it in your fridge and it’s always ready. It has a great mix of flavours, perfect harmony between vegetables and meat, is colourful and flavoursome. The usual cut of meat for the Matambre is beef rib plate, which is also the cut favoured by gaucho (cowboys). It is a fantastic dish for a summer’s lunch when served cold with a green salad or potato salad with mayonnaise. It could become part of a starter or a main dish. Try it on toasted bread with grain mustard and salad greens too – you’ll love it!
Serves: 6 - 8
INGREDIENTS
1.2 kg piece beef rib plate
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 grated carrots
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1 red capsicum, cooked and peeled
olive oil 3 or 4 hard boiled eggs, shelled
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 litres vegetable stock
1 litre water
Bouquet garni (herbs such as bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and oregano)
muslin and cooking string
METHOD
Remove any excess fat from the meat. Place it in a shallow dish with the outer side upward.
Season well with salt, freshly ground pepper and rub with olive oil. Combine the finely chopped garlic, parsley, paprika and red chilli flakes in a bowl. Sprinkle over the meat, cover and refrigerate for two hours.
Lay the meat on the kitchen bench and spread evenly with the grated carrot. Arrange the capsicum and the whole eggs along one long edge of the meat. Roll the meat up tightly, taking care not to lose any of the stuffing.
Tie well with cooking string along its length and wrap in muslin.
Bring the vegetable stock and water to the boil in a large stockpot or saucepan. Add the bouquet garni and the meat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook the matambre for 1.5-2 hours, checking the level of the liquid occasionally. The meat needs to be covered with liquid at all times. The cooking time will depend on the size of the matambre but the meat needs to be well done to be tender.
Remove the meat and drain well on a rack. Place a heavy chopping board on top and weigh this down with several tins for about an hour.
Remove the weights and board. Unwrap the matambre, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
To serve: Unwrap, carefully remove the string and slice with a sharp knife. Arrange the slices on a serving platter and serve mayonnaise separately along with a rocket or green salad. “Buen Apetito!” Serves 8 as a starter or 6 as a main dish
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