Seco de Carne
Almuerzo Turned Supper (The Heavy Hitters)
Drop supermarket chuck roast into the Dutch oven and rip a fistful of cilantro straight into the blender to nail a heavy-hitting supper in forty-five minutes flat, building a foundation that smells like Sunday lunch in Lima—a hypnotic blend of simmering cilantro, smoky ají panca, and sweet red onions. Respect the aderezo base, sear the beef like you mean it, and embrace the grandmotherly trick of tossing in a handful of spinach to lock in that vibrant emerald hue. Leave the lid alone.
Before you start
Serve with a quick weeknight bean cheat.
A true seco is incomplete without beans. Rinse a can of Cannellini beans and simmer them for 10 minutes in a pan with a little bacon fat, a pinch of garlic, and a dash of cumin, mashing a few beans against the side of the pan to make them thick and creamy to serve alongside the stew and white rice.
Ingredients
- bunches fresh cilantro2 large
- handful fresh spinach leaves1 small
- beef broth1 1/2 cup
- beef chuck roast2 lb
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- vegetable oil2 tbsp
- red onion1 large
- cloves garlic4 med
- jarred ají amarillo paste2 tbsp
- jarred ají panca paste1 tbsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- Mexican-style lager beer1 cup
- apple cider vinegar1 tbsp
- Yukon gold potato1 med
- carrots2 med
- frozen green peas3/4 cup
Method
- 01
Purée the cilantro and spinach into a vivid green paste.
In a blender, combine the cilantro, spinach, and 1/2 cup of the beef broth, blending until completely smooth. The spinach chemically locks in the bright color so it will not turn brown as it cooks. Reserve exactly one tablespoon of this raw puree to stir in at the end.
- 02
Aggressively sear the seasoned beef in batches.
Season the dried beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the meat heavily on all sides without overcrowding the pan—boiling grey meat in its own juices is a crime against the dish. Remove the seared beef to a plate.
- 03
Build the aderezo by sweating the onions and frying the chili pastes.
Lower the heat to medium-low, adding the red onion to the remaining beef fat to sweat for about 10 minutes until completely translucent and sweet. Stir in the garlic, cumin, ají amarillo, and ají panca, frying continuously until the oil begins to separate from the solids.
- 04
Fry the green puree and deglaze with the beer and vinegar.
Pour the blended cilantro (minus the reserved tablespoon) into the pot, frying for 3 minutes until slightly darkened. Pour in the lager and apple cider vinegar—a highly effective hack for the traditional chicha de jora—and let it bubble for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- 05
Return the beef to the pot and simmer until tender.
Add the beef, its resting juices, and the remaining 1 cup of beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- 06
Simmer the potatoes and carrots until the sauce thickens.
Once the meat is fork-tender, stir in the potatoes and carrots, simmering uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas during the final 3 minutes just to warm them through.
- 07
Stir in the reserved raw cilantro puree off the heat.
Turn off the heat and mix in the saved tablespoon of raw green puree for a fresh explosion of aroma right before serving. Adjust salt to taste.
Notes
Pressure cooker weeknight adaptation.
To speed this up on a weeknight, use an Instant Pot on Sauté mode for the searing and aderezo. Once the liquid is added, cook on High Pressure for 35 minutes, quick release, then simmer the delicate vegetables in the residual heat for 10 minutes.
From Cook Peruvian in America.