Uruguay: Matambre (rolled stuffed steak) with Essence Spice, Grilled Eggplant, Salsa Criolla and Alfajores with Dulce De Leche

Last night I made a meal from Uruguay. This is a country I have always wanted to visit so I was excited to cook these recipes. A few of these recipes are somewhat time consuming so make sure to prepare and start early or make some things the day before. I made the spices and salsa the day before and the dessert the morning of. One piece of advice about making the salsa: don't chop the pepper and then take your contacts out.... this equals spicy eyeballs!! Haha. Also, you might have noticed that I leave out a certain ingredient regularly, which is onions. My husband is allergic to onions so unfortunately I cannot cook with them unless I want to make two dishes, which I don't haha. Enjoy!

Matambre: Rolled Flank Steak with Essence (spice mix)

Serves 4-6

2 1/2 Lbs of Flank Steak
2 Tbsp of Essence (recipe to follow)
- or TRY: Emeril's Original Essence, 1 X 2.8 Ounce
3 Tbsp Minced Garlic
1 cup of Spinach
2 Large Carrots, grated
4 Hard-boiled eggs, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tsp. Cayenne Pepper
4-6 Pieces of Bacon
1/2 Cup of Sliced Onions
3 Bay Leaves
2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Thyme
1 Cup of Argentine Red Wine
6 Cups Beef Stock
2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley for garnish

Prepare carrots, spinach, garlic, eggs and Essence spice mix. Season both sides of the steaks with Essence. Place the steaks on a clean surface with the grain horizontal toward you in order to slice the rolled steak across the grain. Scatter half of the garlic over steaks and cover with spinach leaves. Next layer with eggs and carrots, then sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Tightly roll the meat and secure with kitchen string (I forgot to buy these and my steaks fell apart slightly).

USE: RSVP 185-Foot Biodegradable Kitchen String

 

In large pan, cook the bacon. Then remove and drain on paper towels. Place the rolled steaks to the bacon fat in the pan. Brown on all sides, then remove steaks and place on side. Cook onions in pan with the rest of garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Place the steaks in the pan and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook the meat until tender (about 1 hour) and turn halfway through cooking. Once done remove steaks and let sit for 10 minutes before removing the string and slicing meat.

Continue to cook the sauce by bringing to a Boil. Cook until it is reduced and thickened. Remove from heat and add bacon. Serve sliced meat with the sauce and onions. Garnish with parsly. Serve with the Salsa and Grilled Eggplant (recipe to follow).

 Salsa Criolla:

1 Tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 Tsp. Salt - My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
3 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
3 Tomatoes, Finely Chopped
2 Onions, Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp. Finely Chopped Fresh Parsley 

2 Hot Green Pepper, Seeded and Finely Chopped

Mince and mash the garlic with the salt to form a paste. Add the red wine vinegar and stir. Then stir in the olive oil and add the black pepper. Add the tomatoes, onions, pepper and parsley. Mix well and serve with steak.

Grilled Eggplant

2 Eggplants
2 Tsp. Salt - My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Basil
1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Oregano
2 Tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Slice eggplant and toss with salt. Let sit for 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Heat the grill. Mix the olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes together. Toss eggplant in mixture. Then grill until both sides are golden brown on both sides. (I also added some of the Essence mix to the eggplant).

Essence Spice Mix

2 1/2 Tbsp. Paprika
2 Tbsp. Salt - My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
1 Tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme

Mix all together. 

 Alfajores

Serves: A lot! haha

1 Cup Cornstarch

3/4 Cup of All-Purpose Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp. Salt

- My FAV: Eden Foods Sea Salt -- 14 oz
8 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

1/3 Cup of Sugar

2 Large Egg Yolks

1 Tbsp. Brandy (I used a substitute - cherry juice)

1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Dulce De Leche, recipe to follow

Place the cornstarch, measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine and set aside.

Mix the sugar and butter in a bowl until the mixture is light in color and fluffy. Then add the egg yolks, bandy and vanilla until well mixed. Then gradually add the flour mixture and mix well.

Place the dough onto a piece of plastic and shape it into a disk wrapped tightly. Put in the refrigerator for at least a hour.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and place it on a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness (the dough may crack but can be patched back together). Cut out 24 rounds (or as many as you can), rerolling the dough as necessary until all of it is gone.

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, at least 1/2 inch apart. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are firm and pale golden on the bottom, about 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Flip half of the cookies upside down and gently spread about 2 teaspoons of the dulce de leche on each. Place a second cookie on top and gently press to create a sandwich. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving. 

Dulce De Leche

1 Quart of Milk (I used coconut milk)

1 1/2 Cups of Sugar

1 Vanilla Bean, Split and Seeds Scraped

1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda

Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Then add the baking soda and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered at a simmer. Stir occasionally. Continue to cook for 1 hour. Remove the vanilla bean after 1 hour and continue to cook until the mixture has reduced to about 1 cup (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours). Strain the mixture and store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.