Recipe: Braised Beef with Semolina Dumplings (2024)

For the braised beef:

• 1 bunch

  good-size carrots (6 to 8), about 1 1/4 pounds (570 grams)

• 3 pounds

  (1.4 kilograms) beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch (2.5- to 5-centimeter) pieces

• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons

  olive oil

• 1

  large onion, finely chopped

• 2 ribs

  celery, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon

  chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley, plus more for garnish

• 1 teaspoon

  hot or sweet paprika, or a mix

• 2 large cloves

  garlic, minced

• 3

  Roma tomatoes, grated, and 1 tablespoon minced sun-dried tomato or tomato paste, or 1 can (8 ounces/225 grams) tomato sauce

• About 2 cups (480 milliliters) homemade beef stock, or 1 cup (240 milliliters) canned beef broth diluted with 1 cup (240 milliliters) water

• 1 pound

  romano bean or snap beans (preferably Blue Lake), or 1 small head cauliflower

• Semolina dumplings (recipe follows)

• Rice or thick slices of country bread for serving (optional)

For the semolina dumplings:

• 1/2

  onion, finely chopped

• 5 tablespoons

  (75 milliliters) mild oil, such as grapeseed or safflower

• 1/2 bunch

  cilantro or Italian parsley, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup/15 grams)

• 1 cup

  (220 grams) coarse semolina (in a pinch, 210 grams of regular Cream of Wheat can be substituted)

• 1 teaspoon

  kosher or sea salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon

  hot paprika, or 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 2/3 cup

  (165 milliliters) water

For the braised beef:

1. Finely chop 1 of the carrots. Heat a large, wide pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the beef to the pot and brown well on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes for each batch. Transfer the meat to a plate and drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pot. If there is not enough fat in the pot, add olive oil as needed.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion, chopped carrot, celery, and cilantro and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the paprika. Stir to scrape up any brown bits from the pot bottom and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, wait a moment, and then add the grated and sun-dried tomatoes (or tomato sauce) and 1 cup (240 milliliters) of the stock. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook until the tomatoes have lost their raw look and are slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the meat to the pot and reduce the heat to low. The liquid in the pot should come about halfway up the sides of the meat. If necessary, spoon out some of the liquid and reserve.

3. Cover and braise the meat until tender, 1 to 2 hours, checking from time to time to be sure there is sufficient liquid and that the juices are simmering rather than boiling. Add the reserved juices or stock as necessary to maintain the original level.

4. While the stew is cooking, prepare the dumpling dough and the remaining carrots and beans or cauliflower. Peel the carrots and cut crosswise into 2-inch (5-centimeter) pieces (cut in half lengthwise first if the carrots are very fat). Trim the stem end from the beans and either fillet them first or simply cut crosswise into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) pieces. If using cauliflower, trim and cut into 1-inch florets and blanch first.

5. When the meat is tender, add the carrots and beans or cauliflower to the pot and continue cooking until the meat and vegetables are very tender, about 1 hour more. (The dish can be made to this point up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Remove any fat that hardens on the surface before continuing.) Use a large spoon to skim off any fat from the surface. Add the dumplings to the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

6. Serve the stew in shallow bowls over rice or with thick slabs of bread on the side, if desired, to soak up the juices. Garnish the stew with cilantro.

For the semolina dumplings:

1. In a small skillet, cook the onion in 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-low heat until soft and pale golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, remove from the heat, and let cool. You'll have about 2/3 cup (95 grams).

2. In a medium bowl, use a fork to stir together the semolina, salt, several grinds of pepper, and the paprika. Stir in the onion mixture and the remaining 4 tablespoons (60 milliliters) oil, then beat in the water. You should have a loose mixture with the consistency of cottage cheese. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. The semolina will absorb the liquid and swell to become a smooth, very soft dough.

3. Pinch off small pieces of the dough and roll them into marble-size balls no larger than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter. As you shape them, place them in a single layer on a plate or tray. The oil in the dough will keep it from sticking to your hands.

4. To cook the dumplings, drop them into the simmering stew, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat until they are cooked through, about 30 minutes. (The stew and dumplings can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated and then reheated the next day.)