Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Beef Cheek with Rice Soubise
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
45 mins
2 hours
3 hours
Serves:
4 servings
Chris created this dish for America's Culinary Cup Season 1. Reinventing a guest judge's braised beef cheek, he kept the original structure and filled it with Persian and Middle Eastern flavors: golpar-spiced beef cheek, a sabzi-polo rice soubise finished with kashk, a saffron-cured yolk, roasted pi...
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Ingredients
FOR THE SAFFRON-CURED EGG YOLKS: 1/2 cup (140 g) fine sea salt 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar 1 large pinch (0.3 g) saffron threads 4 large egg yolks, plus 1-2 spare
FOR THE CONFIT GARLIC: 8 garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
FOR THE BEEF CHEEKS: 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground golpar (Persian hogweed) 2 tsp (4 g) Aleppo chili flakes 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground coriander 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric 2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt 2 lb (900 g) beef cheeks, trimmed (about 4) 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, sliced 4 garlic cloves, smashed 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef or chicken stock 1 dried lime (limu omani), pierced (optional)
FOR THE RICE SOUBISE: 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter 2 large (500 g) yellow onions, thinly sliced 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste 8 confit garlic cloves (from above) 1/2 cup (95 g) basmati rice, rinsed 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chicken stock, plus more as needed 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream 1/2 cup packed (20 g) cilantro, finely chopped 1/2 cup packed (20 g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 2 tbsp (5 g) dill, finely chopped (optional) 3 tbsp (45 g) liquid kashk
FOR THE ROASTED PIOPPINI MUSHROOMS: 8 oz (225 g) pioppini mushrooms, trimmed into small clusters 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil 1/2 tsp (2 g) kosher salt
FOR THE CHERMOULA: 1 cup packed (40 g) cilantro leaves and tender stems 1/2 cup packed (20 g) flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 garlic clove 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin, toasted 1 tsp (2 g) sweet paprika 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1/2 tsp (2 g) kosher salt 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
EQUIPMENT: Electric or stovetop pressure cooker (6-quart / 6-liter or larger) Small shallow dish, for curing the yolks Small saucepan, for the confit garlic Fine-mesh sieve Heavy saucepan with lid, for the soubise Blender or immersion blender Sheet pan Food processor or mortar and pestle Small offset spatula
Method
STEP 1: CURE THE EGG YOLKS
Grind the saffron threads with a pinch of the sugar, then mix with the rest of the sugar and the salt. Spread half the cure in a small shallow dish and make four shallow wells. Slip a yolk into each, cover gently with the remaining cure and refrigerate for 2 hours. This is a light cure: the outside firms enough to lift while the center stays fluid.
STEP 2: CONFIT THE GARLIC
Put the peeled garlic cloves in a small saucepan and cover with the olive oil. Cook over the lowest possible heat, with only the occasional bubble, for about 25 minutes until the cloves are soft and pale gold. Lift out the cloves and keep the oil for another use.
STEP 3: SEASON AND PRESSURE-COOK THE BEEF CHEEKS
Mix the golpar, Aleppo chili flakes, coriander, turmeric and salt, and rub all over the beef cheeks. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker on the sauté setting (or over medium-high heat) and brown the cheeks well on both sides, in batches; set aside. Soften the onion and smashed garlic in the fat for 5 minutes, stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the stock and dried lime, scraping the base clean. Return the cheeks, lock the lid and cook at high pressure for 60 minutes. Allow a natural release of at least 15 minutes. The cheeks should yield to a spoon but hold their shape; if they resist, cook at high pressure for a further 10-15 minutes.
STEP 4: REDUCE THE BRAISING LIQUID
Lift out the cheeks and keep them warm, covered. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, discard the lime and skim off the fat. Reduce over medium-high heat until the liquid coats a spoon and turns glossy. Return the cheeks and baste to glaze, keeping a few spoonfuls of the reduced liquid for plating.
STEP 5: MAKE THE RICE SOUBISE
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt; cover and sweat for 20 minutes without coloring. Add the confit garlic and rice, stir for 1 minute, then add the stock and another 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook gently for 30-35 minutes, stirring now and then and adding a splash of stock if it catches, until the rice is very soft. Blend until smooth, return to the pan, stir in the cream and simmer for 3 minutes, loosening with warm stock so it slumps rather than holds a peak. Off the heat, fold in the cilantro, parsley and dill, then the kashk. Taste only now, as kashk is salty, and add salt until the rice tastes well seasoned on its own, not just next to the beef.
STEP 6: ROAST THE MUSHROOMS
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Toss the pioppini mushrooms with the olive oil and salt, spread on a sheet pan without crowding and roast for 12-15 minutes until the caps are browned and the stems slightly crisp.
STEP 7: MAKE THE CHERMOULA
In a food processor (or with a mortar and pestle), work the cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon zest and juice, and salt to a coarse paste. Stream in the olive oil. It should be loose and spoonable, not smooth.
STEP 8: PLATE
Rinse the cured yolks briefly in cold water and pat dry. Spoon a generous base of soubise into warm shallow bowls and set a glazed beef cheek on top. Tuck the mushrooms alongside, lift a yolk onto the mushrooms with a small offset spatula, and finish with chermoula and a little of the reserved braising liquid. The yolk is meant to break into the dish as it is eaten.
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Instructions
FOR THE SAFFRON-CURED EGG YOLKS:
1/2 cup (140 g) fine sea salt
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 large pinch (0.3 g) saffron threads
(https://www.relaxedrecipes.com/interesting-ingredients/saffron-threads)4 large egg yolks, plus 1-2 spare
FOR THE CONFIT GARLIC:
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
FOR THE BEEF CHEEKS:
1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground golpar (Persian hogweed)
2 tsp (4 g) Aleppo chili flakes
1 1/2 tsp (3 g) ground coriander
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt
2 lb (900 g) beef cheeks, trimmed (about 4)
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef or chicken stock
1 dried lime (limu omani), pierced (optional)
FOR THE RICE SOUBISE:
3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
2 large (500 g) yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
8 confit garlic cloves (from above)
1/2 cup (95 g) basmati rice, rinsed
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chicken stock, plus more as needed
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup packed (20 g) cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed (20 g) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp (5 g) dill, finely chopped (optional)
3 tbsp (45 g) liquid kashk
FOR THE ROASTED PIOPPINI MUSHROOMS:
8 oz (225 g) pioppini mushrooms, trimmed into small clusters
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1/2 tsp (2 g) kosher salt
FOR THE CHERMOULA:
1 cup packed (40 g) cilantro leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup packed (20 g) flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 garlic clove
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin, toasted
1 tsp (2 g) sweet paprika
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 tsp (2 g) kosher salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
EQUIPMENT:
Electric or stovetop pressure cooker (https://www.relaxedrecipes.com/cooking-equipment/pressure-cooker)(6-quart / 6-liter or larger)
Small shallow dish, for curing the yolks
Small saucepan, for the confit garlic
Fine-mesh sieve
Heavy saucepan with lid, for the soubise
Blender or immersion blender
Sheet pan
Food processor or mortar and pestle
Small offset spatula
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: CURE THE EGG YOLKS
Grind the saffron threads with a pinch of the sugar, then mix with the rest of the sugar and the salt. Spread half the cure in a small shallow dish and make four shallow wells. Slip a yolk into each, cover gently with the remaining cure and refrigerate for 2 hours. This is a light cure: the outside firms enough to lift while the center stays fluid.
STEP 2: CONFIT THE GARLIC
Put the peeled garlic cloves in a small saucepan and cover with the olive oil. Cook over the lowest possible heat, with only the occasional bubble, for about 25 minutes until the cloves are soft and pale gold. Lift out the cloves and keep the oil for another use.
STEP 3: SEASON AND PRESSURE-COOK THE BEEF CHEEKS
Mix the golpar, Aleppo chili flakes, coriander, turmeric and salt, and rub all over the beef cheeks. Heat the oil in the pressure cooker on the sauté setting (or over medium-high heat) and brown the cheeks well on both sides, in batches; set aside. Soften the onion and smashed garlic in the fat for 5 minutes, stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the stock and dried lime, scraping the base clean. Return the cheeks, lock the lid and cook at high pressure for 60 minutes. Allow a natural release of at least 15 minutes. The cheeks should yield to a spoon but hold their shape; if they resist, cook at high pressure for a further 10-15 minutes.
STEP 4: REDUCE THE BRAISING LIQUID
Lift out the cheeks and keep them warm, covered. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, discard the lime and skim off the fat. Reduce over medium-high heat until the liquid coats a spoon and turns glossy. Return the cheeks and baste to glaze, keeping a few spoonfuls of the reduced liquid for plating.
STEP 5: MAKE THE RICE SOUBISE
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and 1/2 tsp salt; cover and sweat for 20 minutes without coloring. Add the confit garlic and rice, stir for 1 minute, then add the stock and another 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and cook gently for 30-35 minutes, stirring now and then and adding a splash of stock if it catches, until the rice is very soft. Blend until smooth, return to the pan, stir in the cream and simmer for 3 minutes, loosening with warm stock so it slumps rather than holds a peak. Off the heat, fold in the cilantro, parsley and dill, then the kashk. Taste only now, as kashk is salty, and add salt until the rice tastes well seasoned on its own, not just next to the beef.
STEP 6: ROAST THE MUSHROOMS
Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Toss the pioppini mushrooms with the olive oil and salt, spread on a sheet pan without crowding and roast for 12-15 minutes until the caps are browned and the stems slightly crisp.
STEP 7: MAKE THE CHERMOULA
In a food processor (or with a mortar and pestle), work the cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon zest and juice, and salt to a coarse paste. Stream in the olive oil. It should be loose and spoonable, not smooth.
STEP 8: PLATE
Rinse the cured yolks briefly in cold water and pat dry. Spoon a generous base of soubise into warm shallow bowls and set a glazed beef cheek on top. Tuck the mushrooms alongside, lift a yolk onto the mushrooms with a small offset spatula, and finish with chermoula and a little of the reserved braising liquid. The yolk is meant to break into the dish as it is eaten.
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