Slow Simmered Mexican Beef With Roasted Jalapeños and Chipotle-in-Adobo Pico De Gallo

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Pico De Gallo:

3 large jalapeños, roasted and then stems and seeds removed (Mine were at least 3” long. Leave seeds in if you want it hotter)
1/3 C white sweet onion slices
2 very large garlic cloves peeled
¼ C orange juice
1 heaping t fresh grated ginger root
2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce from can (Add 1 more if you like it hotter!)
2 heaping T cilantro leaves

Simmered Beef with Rice:

1 ½ lbs. stew meat chunks
2 ½ C baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1/3 C white sweet onion rough chopped
2 large garlic cloves peeled and chopped
¼ C chopped cilantro
1/4 C orange juice
1 C tomato sauce, plain without any other flavors
½ t ground cumin
At least 1 t kosher salt and ½ t black pepper
3 T olive oil
1 t corn starch and ¼ C water mixed
½ C jasmine rice
½ t ground turmeric
Handful of regular, or
purple Thai basil leaves
1 lime quartered for squeezing on at the end. (Don’t miss this. It is almost the BEST part!)

Method:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place jalapeños in a baking dish and roast for 15 minutes. Remove, let cool for a couple minutes, remove stem and seeds and place in a small food processor. I used my 3 C processor. Add all other ingredients as shown above. Pulse and chop into almost a puree. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan heat the olive oil and add the onion and mushrooms. Cook on high stirring often, until onions are soft and mushrooms are nearly done. They will reduce in size by almost half. Make SURE your mushrooms have no moisture and your pan is large enough that there is no crowding. Now add the beef and lower heat slightly. Cook until meat is browned, but not all the way done. Keep stirring so it doesn’t stick. Add about ½ t of the salt and the pepper.
• Now add the orange juice, the tomato sauce, the garlic, and cilantro. Stir, turn down heat and cover, and let simmer for 60 minutes. Test and add 15 more minutes if needed. Beef should be very tender. Gravy will be loose so you can thicken slightly.
• Stir in just a couple of t of the roux and let it come together but not turn thick.
• When you have about 20 minutes left on the beef place ½ C jasmine rice with 1 C water, and add turmeric. Bring to boil, cover, and remove from heat and let cook for 20 minutes. When done stir in a little salt and a Tbsp of the chopped cilantro. Replace lid and keep warm until serving.
• To serve you can either add all the pico into the sauce and meat and serve over rice, or do what I did. Place about 3–4 spoonfuls of pico on place, then put some rice next to that, then place the meat and orange tomato sauce next to it. Garnish with more cilantro, a sprinkling of Thai basil, and 2 lime quarters to squeeze on all.
• Note: The pico de gallo will stay fresh for a week or more if covered and stored in your fridge. Serve like you would a chimichurri, slathering over fish, pork, or steak. Also good with tacos, burritos, even over eggs!