Hachee

This classic hachee gains extra depth because the beef is left overnight in a fragrant, lightly sweet-and-sour marinade. The meat is then slowly stewed until it is meltingly tender and the sauce is rich, rounded and gently sweet in flavour.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 15 minutes + 12–24 hours marinating (preferably 12–18 hours)
Cooking: approx. 3½ hours
Total time: 16–28 hours

Ingredients

For 4 people

• 750 g braising steak (rib)
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 300–400 ml beef stock
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 1 tablespoon apple syrup
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cloves
• 8–10 black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon apple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 250 ml apple cider vinegar
• 250 ml water
• Extra apple syrup, to taste
• Optional: a splash of the remaining marinade

Preparation

• Cut the braising steak into large chunks of about 3–4 cm and, if necessary, pat any excess moisture from the meat with kitchen paper.
• Peel the onions and slice them into half rings.
• In a large bowl or dish, mix the apple cider vinegar, water, apple syrup and teaspoon of salt to make a marinade. Add the onion rings, bay leaves, cloves and black peppercorns and stir everything well.
• Place the meat in the marinade and make sure it is submerged as much as possible. If needed, add a small splash of extra water. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 12–24 hours, preferably 12–18 hours.

Method

1. Remove the meat and onions from the marinade
   Remove the meat and onions from the marinade. Pat the pieces of meat very dry with kitchen paper. Set a sieve over a bowl and pour the marinade through it. Leave the onions to drain well in the sieve.
2. Separate the spices and keep the marinade
   Fish the bay leaves and cloves out of the onions and set them aside. Discard the peppercorns. Keep the strained marinade; you will use it as part of the braising liquid.
3. Brown the meat
   Heat the unsalted butter in a heavy casserole on a medium-high heat. Brown the meat in batches until dark brown all over. Take your time; proper browning adds lots of flavour. Transfer the browned meat to a plate each time while you brown the next batch.
4. Cook the onions until soft and lightly browned
   Once all the meat has been browned, add a small extra knob of butter to the pan if it is very dry. Add the well-drained onions to the pan. Cook the onions over a moderate heat for 10–15 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Stir occasionally so they do not catch.
5. Add the flour and spices
   Add the bay leaves and cloves back to the pan. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook the flour for 1 minute over a low heat, stirring continuously.
6. Add the meat and braising liquid
   Return the browned meat to the pan with the onions. Add 1 tablespoon of apple syrup and season with some freshly ground black pepper. Pour about a third of the strained marinade into the pan and stir to loosen the browned bits from the bottom. Then add enough beef stock so the meat is just submerged.
7. Let the hachee stew gently
   Bring everything slowly to the boil. Reduce the heat as soon as the hachee is simmering. Put a lid on the pan and let the hachee stew gently for 3–4 hours, until the meat is very tender. Stir occasionally and check there is still enough liquid. If necessary, add a little extra stock or a splash of the remaining marinade. Always let any extra marinade boil for a few minutes.
8. Finish the hachee and season to taste
   At the end of the stewing time, remove the bay leaves and cloves. Taste the sauce. Season with salt and extra black pepper. Add, to taste, a little more apple syrup for extra sweetness, or a splash of the remaining marinade for a little more freshness (always let it boil for a few minutes).
9. Serve the hachee
   Serve the hachee piping hot, preferably with mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or a simple mash. A spoonful of gravy over the potatoes completes the dish. Any leftovers are often even more flavourful the next day and can be gently reheated over a low heat.