This, being the month of Christmas, a holiday celebrated among 160 of the 195 countries that make up this planet, I’ve decided to do a monthly installment of how different countries around the world celebrate this special holiday in their kitchens and feature their signature holiday meals. Some may be sides, some may be mains, maybe a dessert or two, some may be a complete dinner. Only time will tell by which country my girls have randomly pulled out of Santa’s hat.
In Lesotho, much like in Zambia, a special occasion is marked by celebrating a local animal. By “celebrating”, of course, I really mean killing and eating it. A traditional meat dish reserved for such a significant day is Lekhotloane (bashed beef) which is commonly served with mashed potatoes permeated with morogo. Morogo is a generic term for any common, wild, leafy herb found growing around. While most recipes like to substitute spinach or kale, since morogo isn’t found in the states, I decided to use mustard greens to mimic the punchy, tart nature of African spider flower. It also helps add some complexity to this otherwise simple dish. This is a very straightforward recipe and can be accomplished by anyone.
If you know me, you know I like food…”duh, I’m on your FOOD blog, donkey”...but, if you’re in my inner sanctum, you know that I love the magic of the Maillard reaction (the process of browning meat, especially for braises) because when you boil a piece of meat, you need to get some crusties to add flavor. However, this recipe does not involve said process, and I bet one of my besties, Emily, is laughing heartily right now because I always chide her for just throwing raw meat into a slow cooker for stew. But, that’s not how they do it in Lesotho for this recipe, so I’m not gonna meat-splain them. However, I strongly suggest heavily seasoning your beef before throwing it in the pot of water to boil. That way, some flavor will infuse the meat as it boils.
Lekhotloane with Morogo-studded Potatoes
Beef
2 lbs beef brisket or flank steak
2 onions, small dice
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1.5 cups beef stock
Potatoes
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
6-8 spring onions, sliced
1 bunch of mustard greens (approx .3 lb), large dice
1.5 cups of reserved beef boiling liquid (or plain water)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp peanut butter
If using brisket, remove the fat cap and any large chunks of fat or silver skin. Season heavily with kosher salt and black pepper. Cut the large portion into two equal pieces. Place in a large pot and cover with about 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 3 hours, flipping the beef half-way through cooking. If you’re using flank steak, boil the meat for only about an hour or until tender.
Pull the beef from the pot and set aside to cool. Pour the cooking liquid, through a sieve, into a fat separator. Once the beef has cooled, pound it with the tenderizer side of a meat mallet and shred into bite-sized pieces. If you don’t have a meat mallet, simply shred the beef with 2 forks.
While the beef cools, add the potatoes, spring onions and greens to a pot and cover with about 1.5 cups defatted, reserved beef liquid. Add a heavy pinch of salt and bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Once the potatoes are tender, drain any excess liquid from the pot and stir in the butter and peanut butter. Adjust any final seasoning. Cover and set aside until the beef is ready.
While the potatoes and greens are cooking, preheat oil in a pot and saute the onions. Once softened, add the shredded beef and stock and simmer over low heat, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
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Copyright 2020, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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