Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1.5 kg beef skirt/blade/short rib meat, cut into large pieces
2 teaspoons five-spice powder 1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon coconut oil
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 x 3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 small chilli, halved (optional) cup oyster sauce
11⁄2 cups dry sherry or Shaoxing wine
cup brown sugar/coconut sugar
500 ml beef stock
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1⁄2 cup water
Salt and pepper, to taste
A few freshly picked mint leaves
METHOD
1 Preheat the oven to 180oC. Dust the beef with five-spice powder, salt and pepper.
2 Place a large oven-proof heavy pot (Le Creuset-style with a tight-fitting lid) over a medium heat and add the coconut oil. Heat the oil and then sear the seasoned beef until well-browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
3 Reheat the pan and add garlic, ginger and chilli, if using, and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in oyster sauce, sherry, sugar and stock and bring to a simmer.
4 Return the beef to the pan and bring up to the boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to oven to cook, turning occasionally, until meat is tender, about 2 hours. The meat is ready when you can shred it easily with a fork.
5 Once meat is cooked, place the sweet potato and water in a separate saucepan and cook over a medium heat with the lid on for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and test the sweet potatoes – they should be soft and ready to mash and the water evaporated; if not continue to cook until soft. Season with salt and pepper and mash or blend until smooth.
6 To serve, spoon 2–3 tablespoons mash onto each plate and top with beef and the sauce it has been cooking in. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.
The Carousel thanks Get Commando Fit by Commando Steve Willis for this recipe, published by Hachette Australia ($29.99)
