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Carne de sol com macaxeira
Salted beef with cassava
Carne de sol com macaxeira: Northeastern salt-cured beef fried with onions, buttered cassava and grilled coalho
BrazilianOut in the sertão, beef was salted and hung in airy shade to cure, and the result, carne de sol, is now the pride of restaurants from Natal to Caruaru, where it arrives sizzling on an iron plate with boiled macaxeira (cassava) glossed in clarified butter, grilled squares of coalho cheese and a dish of feijão verde. The meat is firm, faintly salty and deeply beefy, the cassava soft and buttery, the cheese squeaky and browned. If you can't buy carne de sol from a Brazilian butcher, salt the beef yourself in the fridge for 24 hours (step 1), so allow an extra day. The mistake people make is frying the beef straight from the salt; a 30-minute soak in cold water keeps it pleasantly seasoned rather than harsh. The beef is cut into chunks and fried, so cook it to your taste: pink in the middle or well done are both fine for whole-muscle beef. Chef's tip: fry the beef in small batches in a really hot pan so it browns rather than stews in its own juice.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the carne de sol
- 1 ¾ lb beef rump or topsidein one thick piece, or ready-made carne de sol
- 2 tbsp coarse sea saltskip if using ready-made carne de sol
- 2 onionssliced into rings
- 4 tbsp clarified buttermanteiga de garrafa, or ghee
For the macaxeira
- 2 ¼ lb cassava (macaxeira)fresh or frozen, peeled, woody core removed, cut into 8 cm lengths
- 1 tsp salt
To serve
- 9 oz coalho cheesecut into fingers, or halloumi
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: A day ahead, rub 1 ¾ lb beef rump or topside all over with 2 tbsp coarse sea salt and set it on a rack over a tray, uncovered, in the fridge for 24 hours. The surface dries and the inside cures.
Step 2: Rinse the beef, then soak it in cold water in the fridge for 30 minutes. Pat dry and cut into 3 cm cubes or thick strips.
30 minStep 3: Put 2 ¼ lb cassava (macaxeira) in a pan of cold water with 1 tsp salt, bring to the boil and cook on a medium heat for 25–30 minutes until a knife slides in easily and the pieces start to split. Drain.
30 minStep 4: Heat half of 2 tbsp clarified butter in a large frying pan over a high heat. Fry the beef in two batches for 4–6 minutes, turning, until well browned outside and cooked to your liking inside. Keep warm.
10 minStep 5: In the same pan, fry 2 onions on a medium heat for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden, scraping up the brown bits, then tip them over the beef.
8 minStep 6: Heat a dry non-stick or griddle pan over a medium-high heat and brown 9 oz coalho cheese for 2 minutes a side until it has golden stripes and just starts to soften.
4 minStep 7: Toss the hot cassava with the rest of 2 tbsp clarified butter and pile everything onto a hot platter, scattered with 2 tbsp fresh parsley if using.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does carne de sol com macaxeira take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of clarified butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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