“This is my family’s dish during Chol HaMoed,” says Omer Shacham, the chef at Cafe Asif. The Egyptian side of his family, he says, plays a dominant role here — the dish combines beef cheeks with seasonal spring vegetables, green beans, and green almonds, which are slow-cooked until they become exceptionally tender. It can be eaten as is or with steamed white rice.
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Ingredients
1 Kg (2.2lbs) beef cheek, cleaned and diced
2 tablespoons salt
½ tablespoon ground black pepper
½ cup (120ml) olive oil
2 white onions, coarsely chopped
1 green hot chile pepper, sliced lengthwise
3 celery sticks, coarsely sliced
3 green garlic stalks, cut into finger-length pieces
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 liter (4 cups) chicken/beef stock or water
A handful of green fava beans, left in the pod if desired
8-10 green almonds
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
- Heat a wide, shallow ovenproof pan over high heat. Season the meat with 1 tablespoon of salt and the black pepper. Once the pan is very hot, add the oil and sear the meat for 2–3 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a separate dish.
- Discard any excess oil, then add the onion, hot chile pepper, and celery. Sauté until the onion turns translucent.
- Add the green garlic and cumin seeds, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, add chicken or beef stock (or water), and bring to a boil.
- Return the meat to the pan, add the fava beans and almonds, and bring back to a boil. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of salt, taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender, about 4 hours.
