Рецепт Spanish Roast...Carne Mechada...
I thought it only fitting to give you a recipe with a distinct European taste - think Spain - which as you know neighbors France...where yours truly is currently noshing in some quaint little bistro overlooking the Seine...what can I say? It's good to be me! Okay, I shant rub my croissant in your face any longer, so I'll just get to the recipe, one you're going to want to make soon! If you Google Carne Mechada you'll see recipes from Peru, Chili, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Mexico....but those recipes all sailed across the ocean blue from Spain, many, many moons ago. Trust me, I know these things.
This is, by far, one of the most flavorful dishes you'll ever serve...and it's easy. So easy it might just become your "go-to" dish from now till Kingdom Come! You start with an ordinary flank steak...marinated in beer, onions and spices. Beer makes a great marinade, by the way, so I always keep a 6-pack in the fridge (it also makes excellent slug bait - works better than anything you can buy in the pest-control section, and it's "eco-friendly," which should make my phosphate-hating BFF Eric happy!) The next step is the filling...fragrant ingredients mixed together and then rolled up into the flank steak. For the last step you'll need a piece of cheesecloth and some kitchen string, so you can tie up your little meat bundle, then it's ready for the Dutch oven.
Not only will your kitchen smell great, but your entire house and neighborhood, too! The aroma from the oven is hypnotizing...you'll just want to pace in front of the oven door until the buzzer goes DING!
Not including the marinating time, this dish takes about 2 1/2 hours to cook...but once it's done and sliced, you'll know it was worth the time. The colorful and wonderful filling will spill out a bit, making it so pretty...and that sums this dish up - it's pretty wonderful! 5 dangs on the ol' meter...make this one, it's perfect for an Autumn evening.
Spanish Roast - Carne Mechada - Adapted From The Border Cookbook by Cheryl and Bill Jamison
1 3/4 pound to 2 pound flank steak, pounded to about 1/3-inch thick
Marinade:
12 oz. beer, any brand, but do not use non-alcoholic, it's the alcohol that tenderizes and it cooks out!
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 green onions, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Filling:
- 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- 1 small baking potato, parboiled, peeled and grated
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 to 2 fresh serrano peppers, minced (or Anaheims or pasilla's, if you don't want the heat)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- beef stock
- cheesecloth
- kitchen string
- minced fresh parsley and slice green onions, for garnish
The night before you plan to cook the meat, place the steak in a shallow, glass dish. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the meat. Refrigerate overnight.
Drain the meat, reserving the marinade. Sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over the meat. In a bowl, combine the filling ingredients and spread the mixture evenly over the steak to within about 1/2-inch of its edges. Roll up the steak from one of its longer edges, jellyroll fashion. Transfer the roll to a large piece of cheesecloth, wrap up the roll snug but not tight in the cloth, and tie the ends.
Transfer the roll to a Dutch oven or stockpot large enough to hold it. Pour the reserved marinade over it and then add enough stock to cover it by several inches. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to a low simmer, and cover. Cook the roll for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender.
Remove the roll from the cooking liquid and let the meat cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid to pour over the meat if you wish, and save the rest of the flavorful liquid for soups or other dishes. Unwrap the meat, discard the cheesecloth and slice the meat crosswise. Transfer the slices to a decorative platter, pour cooking liquid over them if you wish, and scatter parsley and green onion on top. Serve warm. Serves 6.