Picadinho de CarneMinced Beef Stew

Weeknight Beef Cubes in Onion-Tomato Gravy with Rice and Farofa.

• 4 portions
• Prep 15 mins
• Cook 40 mins
• Sudeste

Picadinho is the Brazilian answer to the weeknight question — cubed beef in a quick onion-tomato gravy, on the table in under an hour and served with the everyday trinity of rice, beans' cousin farofa, and greens. It is the dish São Paulo lunch counters turn out by the liter.

Ingredients

• •600 g beef sirloin or topside, cut into 1.5 cm cubes
• •2 tbsp neutral oil
• •1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• •3 cloves garlic, minced
• •2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• •1 tbsp tomato paste
• •300 ml beef stock
• •1 bay leaf
• •1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• •2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• •2 spring onions, sliced, to finish

Method

1. Sear the beefPat the cubes dry and season with salt. Sear in hot oil in a heavy pan in a single layer, turning until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Work in batches if needed.
2. Build the baseLower the heat, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Add tomatoesStir in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until the tomatoes collapse and the paste darkens, about 4 minutes.
4. SimmerReturn the beef, add the stock and bay leaf, and simmer gently, partially covered, for 25 to 30 minutes until the meat is tender and the gravy has thickened.
5. FinishTaste and adjust the salt, scatter over the parsley and spring onion, and serve with white rice, farofa, and a side of couve.

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