Recipe: Stir-Fried Beef Stew, Spiced Butter, and Berbere (Ethiopian)

STIR-FRIED BEEF STEW

"This recipe for traditional tibs wett takes minutes to put together, if the Spiced Butter and Berbere are already on hand."

1/4 cup Spiced Butter (recipe to follow) or 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced red onions
1 1/2 pounds hanger steak or beef tenderloin, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons Berbere (recipe to follow) or chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (preferably freshly ground)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 medium cloves garlic, cut into quarters
3 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped canned tomatoes
2 jalapeno chili peppers, seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry red wine
Salt (optional)

Melt the Spiced Butter in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until they begin to color around the edges.

Add the meat, sprinkle with the salt and stir-fry until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes on each side. (This process can be done in 2 batches; divide accordingly.)

Add the Berbere, cardamom, ginger, cumin, cloves, black pepper and garlic. Tilt the pan slightly away from you to avoid the steam that will rise, and carefully add the tomatoes, jalapeno chili peppers and wine. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 minute, then season with salt, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

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SPICED BUTTER
Makes 1 1/2 cups

"Chef Marcus Samuelsson considers this one of the three building blocks of Ethiopian cooking, along with Berbere and injera bread. He says virtually no meal in his home country is made without this butter, which is added to meat and vegetable stews."

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (3-inch) piece ginger root, finely minced
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
8 basil leaves

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. As foam rises to the top, skim and discard it. Cook, without letting the butter brown, until no more foam appears. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool until the spices have settled to the bottom of the pan. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve before using. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to 3 weeks.

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BERBERE
Makes about 1 cup

"Chef Marcus Samuelsson has simplified the recipe for this spice blend, which he also recommends using as a rub for beef and lamb."

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup ground dried Serrano chili peppers or other ground dried chili peppers
1/2 cup sweet paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (preferably freshly ground)
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Finely grind the fenugreek seeds with a mortar and pestle or in an electric spice or coffee grinder. Combine the remaining ingredients and add the ground fenugreek seeds, mixing well. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Adapted from: The Soul of a New Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson
Source: Walter Nicholls, Washington Post Staff Writer, Wednesday, November 8, 2006