Trinchado

Ingredients

(Spicy South African Braised Beef)

based upon a recipe by Patrick Fish, South Africa

Serves 4

Preparation

Some people request recipes, others demand them, but those who wrote me about Trinchado pined for it. Many of them had recently been to South Africa on vacation and wanted to recapture the taste of this spicy beef dish.

I'll admit I was flummoxed. I had never heard of it. So I poured through my resources but came up empty-handed. Eventually, I came across an Internet message posted by Patrick Fish. One look at the recipe and it was clear that I had to adapt it.

As is common with peasant food, the origin of such a dish is hard to verify.

Patrick believes it's popular in South Africa because of the Portuguese immigration from nearby Angola and Mozambique. To the best of Patrick's knowledge, the dish is traditionally served with a heap of chips, a.k.a. French fries. (When I asked him if this was a holdover from colonial days, he replied no.) He went on to point out that the Portuguese serve Trinchado with chips at their own cafes (small delicatessens) throughout the country. I still have my doubts whether this is a British influence, but it's delicious either way.

Trinchado is meant to be spicy. But be extremely careful when preparing the hot peppers: Wear rubber gloves if you have sensitive skin and don't touch your face or eyes. When finished, wash your hands thoroughly with hot, soapy water.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 tablespoon olive oil1 (2 lb) rump roast, cut into 1 inch cubes 2 large yellow onions, chopped3 or 4 small hot red chili peppers, stemmed and chopped (retain the seeds)

4 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons flour1 cup beef stock1 cup red wine or 1/2 cup brandy1 bay leaf24 oil-cured black olivesSalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Bread for dunking

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the butter and oil. Once the butter is melted and sizzling, add the beef cubes in 4 or 5 batches and brown well on all sides. Don't crowd the pan or rush this step; this is what gives the dish its flavor. Remove the cubes with a slotted spoon to a warm plate and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium, add the onions, chili peppers and their seeds, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until the flour's fully cooked, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock and red wine (or brandy). Stir until the sauce thickens a bit, about 3 minutes. Add the bay leaf, olives, browned beef cubes and any juices that may have accumulated on the plate. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Check every 15 minutes or so until the meat is very tender. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place the Trinchado in a large bowl and top with French fries.

Have lots of bread on hand for dunking.