Name: Catalan Estofat with Roast Vegetables
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: ¼ cup anise-flavored liqueur such as anisette, ouzo, pastis, raki, or sambuca; 2 heads of garlic, separated into cloves but unpeeled, plus 8 garlic cloves, peeled; ¼ cup sweet wine such as Black Muscat, muscatel, or a fortified wine like Madeira; 18 small white onions, peeled; 2 fresh thyme sprigs; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 celery rib, into 1-inch pieces; 3½ pounds boneless beef shin; 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine; 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence; 2 large carrots, sliced, plus 12 small carrots, peeled; 3 cloves; 2 large yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks; ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds; 1 3-inch cinnamon stick; Pinch of sugar; 1 slab (4 ounces) pancetta or blanched salt pork, cut into 1- by ¼-inch lardons; ½ cup extra virgin olive oil; Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed; 18 small whole new potatoes, scrubbed

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking

By Paula Wolfert

Published 2009

About

Stewing is a great way to tenderize a tough piece of meat, in this case beef shin, which, being highly gelatinous, develops an especially luscious texture when cooked slowly. Traditionally, an estofat is made in a wide clay-covered casserole, smothered in hot coals.

My recipe, adapted and updated from a version served at the famous Hostal de Sant Jordi restaurant in Barcelona, Spain, bakes the casserole in an oven for 4 hours, which produces excellent results. Such long cooki