Recipe: Momma Leite's Braised Beef in Wine and Garlic (Portuguese)

MOMMA LEITE'S BRAISED BEEF IN WINE AND GARLIC

8 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
3 tablespoons double-concentrate tomato paste
1 teaspoon chipped fresh oregano leaves
2 Turkish bay leaves
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Kosher salt
1 (4 pound) boneless chuck roast, tied
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more if needed
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 1/2 pounds chourico, linguica, or dry-cured smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into several pieces
1 1/2 pounds golf-ball-sized red potatoes, peeled
1/2 pound baby carrots
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish

Combine the garlic, wine, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaves, both of paprika, pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the beef and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least four hours, or, preferably, overnight, turning the beef several times.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and crank up the heat to 325 degrees F.

Remove the bowl from the fridge and transfer the beef and garlic cloves to a plate. Reserve the marinade. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and season well with salt and black pepper.

Heat the oil in an ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat and, when it's hot, sear the beef on all sides until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. If the pot is dry, drizzle in more oil. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 3 minutes more.

Pour the marinade and 1 cup of water into the pot and bring to a boil. Nestle in the beef.

Cover tightly, and braise in the oven, turning and basting every 20 minutes, for 2 1/4 hours.

Add the chourico, potatoes and carrots to the pot and cook, covered, until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes more. Transfer the beef to a bowl, ladle some of the cooking liquid over the top, and cover with foil to keep warm.

Bump up the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Roast the vegetables and sausage, uncovered, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, 15 to 25 minutes more. Transfer the vegetables and sausage to the bowl with the meat.

Skim any fat from the sauce in the pot, and reduce the sauce over high heat if it appears too thin. Toss out the bay leaves.

TO SERVE:
Slice the chourico on the bias into 2-inch pieces. Center the beef on a platter and ring with the sausage and vegetables. Ladle a bit of the sauce on top, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with the rest of the sauce on the side.

Makes 8-10 servings
Source: The New Portuguese Table by David Leite