Entree: Andorra – Central Culinary Region – Fricandó (Catalan-style braised beef with mushrooms in a savory almond-thickened sauce)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 1 hr 15 min

Total 1 hr 35 min

Ingredients

- 1.5 lb (700 g) beef round or stewing beef, thinly sliced into 1/4–1/2 inch pieces
- 1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz (225 g) button or cremini mushrooms, halved or thickly sliced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef broth
- 1/2 cup (60 g) ground toasted almonds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (5 g) sweet paprika
- 1 tsp (5 g) coarse salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Lightly dredge the beef slices in the flour, shaking off excess. Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil and 1 tbsp (15 g) butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches until seared on both sides, about 2 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and 1 tbsp (15 g) butter. Sauté the onions until translucent and beginning to caramelize, about 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
3. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and it mostly evaporates, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and paprika and cook 1 minute to bloom the flavors.
4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up browned bits, and simmer until reduced by about half, 3–5 minutes. Add beef broth, bay leaf, and return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot.
5. Stir in the ground toasted almonds to thicken the braising liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook over low heat until beef is tender, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Check every 20 minutes and add a splash of broth or water if too dry.
6. Remove bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered a few minutes to reduce; if too thick, add a little hot broth.
7. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped parsley. Fricandó is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.