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Chomlek
Chomlek (чомлек): Rhodope clay-pot beef with small whole onions, carrots and potatoes
Rhodope housewives once set the chomlek pot in the embers of the hearth in the morning and came back from the fields at dusk to a supper that had cooked itself. Chunks of beef, or pork in some villages, go into the pot with whole small onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic and tomato, seasoned with paprika, allspice, black pepper, bay and savory. Hours of gentle heat make the beef spoon-tender and turn the onions sweet and jammy in a thick red gravy. It is a whole meal in one pot; add pickles or a cabbage salad on the side. Many old recipes pour in a glass of red wine; here a spoon of red wine vinegar gives the same lift with no alcohol. A common mistake is browning in a crowded pan, which leaves the gravy pale, so brown the beef in batches until dark. Chef's tip: soak the small onions in boiling water for two minutes and the skins slip right off.
- Total time
- 185 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb beef chuck or shincut into 4 cm chunks
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 14 oz small onions or shallotspeeled, left whole
- 3 carrotscut into thick chunks
- 6 garlic clovespeeled
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 14 oz tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 ¾ cups hot water
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp dried savory
- 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoespeeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 325°F (275°F fan). Pat the 2 ¼ lb beef chuck or shin dry and season with half the ¾ tsp salt.
3 minStep 2: Heat the 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a flameproof clay pot or casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches for 8–10 minutes, until dark brown on all sides. Lift out.
20 minStep 3: Add the 14 oz small onions or shallots and 3 carrots and fry for 5 minutes, until patched with brown. Stir in the 6 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp tomato purée and 1 tbsp sweet paprika for 1 minute.
6 minStep 4: Add the 14 oz tinned chopped tomatoes, 1 ¾ cups hot water, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 3 bay leaves, 6 allspice berries, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 2 tsp dried savory, scraping up the browned bits, then return the beef. Bring to a simmer.
4 minStep 5: Cover tightly and cook in the oven for 1½ hours.
90 minStep 6: Stir in the 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoes and the rest of the ¾ tsp salt, pushing them under the liquid, cover and cook for 1 hour more, until the beef breaks apart with a spoon and the potatoes are tender.
60 minStep 7: Rest for 10 minutes, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh parsley and serve from the pot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chomlek take?
- About 185 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 160 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 small onions or shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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