#mikaskitchen

Ingredients:

           1 jar of chipotle salsa or your choice of salsa            1 medium bunch cilantro, chopped            1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks            1/2 head garlic, peeled and cloves smashed            1-2 teaspoons cumin            1 tablespoon kosher salt            Juice of 2 limes            3 to 4 pounds chuck roast, beef shoulder or brisket            4 to 6 cups beef or chicken stock            3 to 4 bay leaves

To serve:           Corn tortillas           Diced onions           Minced cilantro           Salsa

Method:

          Stir together the chipotle peppers and their sauce, cilantro, red onion, garlic, cumin, salt, lime juice and pour into a 7-quart slow cooker (if you have a food processor, you can also pulse till combined before adding). Place the seared chuck roast on top of this mixture. (Cut the meat into a few pieces if necessary to better fit in the slow cooker.) Add stock to cover the meat and place the bay leaves on top. Use tongs to turn the meat a few times in the sauce.

          Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on LOW. When done cooking, it should shred easily with two forks.

           Transfer the meat from slow cooker to a rimmed baking sheet. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. Discard the fat, if desired (though if you plan on frying it again before use, the small fat bits are extra tasty and should be kept!). Place the shredded beef in large bowl and ladle the cooking liquid over the top a few scoops at a time. You want the meat to hold the liquid but not swim in it; you may not need to use all of the cooking liquid. (The leftover liquid is very tasty and can be frozen in cube-sized portions for use in later dishes.)

You will need:

1 lb of really good quality ground beef or pork (or a 50/50 mix called ‘aibiki’ in Japanese)

soy sauce

worcestershire sauce

a squeeze of mustard

an egg

salt & pepper

½ yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

for the gravy:

a teaspoon of flour

sliced cremini mushrooms

2 cups water or beef broth

dashes of worcestershire sauce

dashes of soy sauce

a squeeze of mustard

salt and pepper

for the rice:

furikake

steamed rice (jasmine or jasmine broken rice)

Start by heating a skillet on medium heat with a tablespoon of oil and gently saute ½ a diced onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic for about 8 minutes until translucent. When that’s done, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 lb of really good quality ground beef with a tablespoon of soy sauce, ½ a tablespoon of worcestershire, ½ teaspoon of prepared mustard), an egg and 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs. Mix really well with your hands and continue to knead, scooping up the meat in your hand, then tossing it back into the bowl.

*This technique is a lot different then when you prepare Western style ground meat. When you knead the meat like this, you are transforming the texture of the meat into a smooth and uniform consistency.

When the meat’s texture is nice and smooth, form into patties making sure that the center is indented. This insures that the outer edges are done at the same time as the middle.

In a hot cast iron skillet, cook the patties for 3-4 minutes per side. A flat top is one of the best places to grill a burger since all that contact with the heat source will form a delicious brown crust. When the patties are done take them out and set aside.

In the same pan you sauteed the garlic and onions, place cremini mushrooms in olive oil and saute until tender, then immediately sprinkle some flour to cover the reserved juices from the meat you just cooked and combine them over medium heat til you make a roux. To that, add 2 cups of cold beef broth or water (your preference) and whisk until the roux is fully incorporated.  By now, your mixture is at a nice boil. Season your gravy with more mustard, soy, worcestershire and s&p to taste. When your gravy has thickened to the desired consistency, set aside.

Now take some freshly steamed rice and sprinkle on your favourite furikake. I love the kind with just nori and sesame seeds since it’s so versatile. If you want to season with some togarashi for a hint of spice, go for it. Use the rice paddle to cut the seasoning into the rice until combined then get ready to assemble.