Catalan Beef Stew with Chocolate (Estofat de Buey amb Xocolata)

Nigel Barden
2 hours ago
2 min read

by Monika Linton from Brindisa, The True Food of Spain (4th Estate/Harper Collins) Photography: Pippa Drummond

This is a favourite recipe from Colman Andrews’ book ‘Catalan Cuisine’, published by Grub Street back in 1997 & has kept our family nourished & centrally heated through many a winter. What is really satisfying is that when you look into the pan towards the end of cooking time, you think, ‘Mmm, a bit grey & plain looking’ & then you put in the chocolate & cinnamon, & in front of your eyes it turns into a rich, dark, velvety & aromatic sauce. Sometimes I cook the stew without the potatoes, but serve boiled ones on the side; at other times I serve it with rice, or root vegetables. Coleman suggests you can substitute the botifarra with three good British sausages if necessary.

Serves 4

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 3hrs

Ingredients

60g thick bacon, sliced

750g braising steak, cut into chunks about 4cm

250ml vi ranci, or dry sherry

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 farcellet or bouquet garni (a bay leaf, a sprig each of thyme, marjoram & savory, if you can find it, or substitute with sage as Nigel did, tied together)

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp flour

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

20g good dark chocolate, finely grated

¼ tsp cinnamon

500g new potatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

1 botifarra sausage, cut into 1cm slices, or substitute with 3 good British unsmoked Pork sausages.

Method

1. Sauté the bacon in its own fat in a heavy-based casserole over a low heat until golden brown but still juicy. Remove with a slotted spoon & keep to one side.

2. Put the beef into the pan of bacon fat & lightly brown on all sides, then return the bacon pieces to the casserole.

3. Pour in the vi ranci or sherry & bubble up, stirring & scraping all the bits from the base of the casserole. Add the onions, garlic, farecellet, & parsley & stir in the flour. Then pour in 500ml of water & season.

4. Bring to a simmer, then cover the casserole & cook gently for around 2½ hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the chocolate, cinnamon & potatoes & continue simmering for another 30 mins or so, until the potatoes are tender, adding more water if necessary.

6. Just towards the end of the cooking time, heat the oil in a frying pan & sauté the slices of botifarra until golden.

7. Lift the bouquet garni from the stew & serve, garnished with the fried botifarra slices on top.