Just got this recipe from Dennis over at Cakebread Cellars and I can't wait to try it! May have to make some substitutions depending on what I can find here in Bogota.Braised Beef in Sesame-Ginger Sauce:
1/2 oz. dried shitakes
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. mirin
2 lbs. beef for stewing, cut into 1" cubes
2 T. vegetable oil
salt & pepper
6 carrots
3/4 lbs. daikon raddish
1/3 c. sesame seeds, toasted
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. red miso
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. green onion minced
1 T. sesame seeds, toasted
Place dried shiitakes in a large saucepan. Cover with 1 quart of water and soak for 10 minutes. Add the soy sauce and mirin and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.
Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat a wide-bottom pan over high heat. Add the oil and sear the beef in batches. Cook until brown on all sides. Drain all the oil out of the pan, return the beef to the pan with grated ginger and cover with the mushroom broth. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, until beef is tender. Cut the carrots and daikon into one-inch pieces. Add to the beef and simmer for another 30 minutes until tender. While the beef is cooking, place the sesame seeds, garlic, miso paste and rice wine vinegar in a blender jar. Add a ½ cup of the broth from the beef and puree until smooth. Add to the beef and stir to incorporate. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
Enjoy with a Cakebread zinfandel.
