ASADO-ROAST BEEF

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds eye round, fat removed

1 large red onion, cut in six pieces

3 tomatoes, cut in four pieces each

4 garlic cloves

5 dried mushrooms

3/4 bottle red wine

4 cups water

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons potato starch (chuno)

Salt and pepper

Cooked rice (optional)

Mashed potatoes (optional)

 

This is a homey dish, usually served with rice and mashed potatoes on the side, and it’s one more of Antonella Delfino’s delicious family recipes. The type of meat used (eye round), needs to cook for a long time in a flavorful broth. You may want to marinate the beef overnight to infuse it with more taste, but that is only if you have the time to do it.

 

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over high heat, add the meat, and sear it until it forms a golden crust all over. Add the onions, tomatoes, and garlic, and stir until they start to release their juices. Meanwhile, cover the dried mushrooms for 30 minutes with one cup boiling water. Strain the liquid through a colander covered with paper towels (they are full of dirt, so you want to get rid of it). Squeeze the mushrooms, and cut in 1/2-inch slices. Reserve the liquid. Add half the bottle of wine to the pan, along with the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dried mushrooms with soaking water, and the remaining water. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and cook undisturbed for an hour. Take the beef out of the saucepan, drain well, put on a chopping board, and thinly slice it into Vi-inch pieces. An electric knife is very helpful for this, but a sharp knife is fine. Strain the vegetables and put the cooking liquid back in the saucepan. Add the remaining wine and more water if necessary. Put the slices of meat back in the saucepan, and season with salt, pepper, and more soy sauce, to taste. Continue cooking over low heat until the meat is fork tender (about 1 more hour). When the meat is ready, dissolve the potato starch in 3 tablespoons water and gradually add it to the saucepan, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the sauce becomes thick enough to lightly cover the spoon. Serve with rice or potatoes on the side, if desired.