Persian style zucchini stew is a one-pot dish of fried zucchini, stewing meat, and tomato broth. Presented here is a modern interpretation, comprised of separately cooked elements of: braised ribs, saffron poached zucchini, and broiled tomato. The result is served with oven-baked Persian rice, showcasing a new idea for Persian bread
Tah-dig (crispy rice on the bottom of pan). The idea of this Tah-dig is from my friend and colleague writer chef
Leila Manoochehry. I would like to dedicate this post to her...
On braising:
In his book, The French laundry cookbook, the legendary chef Thomas Keller describes braising as:
To create something more than you start with. A filet mignon is a filet mignon -there's little difference between the raw meat and the cooked meat. but short ribs, veal breast-they become completely different entities after they're cooked. They transcend themselves developing a full , complex, satisfying taste and aroma.
So be it! the meat was braised...
Ingredient:
For Braised Ribs:
1.1 Pounds (~500 gr) boneless beef ribs
flour, salt and pepper to dredge
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion. finely chopped
Brown stock (enough to cover two thirds of ribs' height)
For saffron poached zucchini:
2 zucchinis, cut bouquetiere
1 cup chicken stock
1 TBSP butter
1 TSP saffron solution
Broiled tomato:
16 cherry tomatos
clarified butter
Persian Fancy Tah-dig:
Semi-cooked and drained rice
flour tortilla
clarified butter
saffron solution
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1ZMbsM1P6eTD3VtobQNtOb8lP776ELle2PIO_8ws8s8ZjM54ks2a7zPzK1gaBLB8SzW-Pzk_pfjLuf0ORKA07S9GMTyewFBUOyRJpUsxwAfzxLKYKE4CIPp01geGT9ciIBegyzg59kg/s400/IMG_3995.JPG) |
To infuse the flavor, I added a chopped zucchini to the braising liquid |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5a0JFbFB-OtTgZu07o2pildTJ3ImT7QyD8Q8vuNK95F_3W39BPYWHKwkj_BKNYy8nY0CfCC-9Mr7_QbYekCOSsreaVAMFIIXWbACv2Ev032DYLsw-hnKu3qBpBwMS5hN-Ziq99mdPm3Y/s400/IMG_3997.JPG) |
I pat dried my meat with a towel before browning. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7KveKxKaYPnkHp1r-dFoX9AhhS13CqkfVsyimHrYdn5ZGK6t_dMZfqAhlIE2kGc4ZWUvT9zSUpebCi4Ee4ZpX3SGlpkdV9HvxK08zdbJ68Bbly_X4Jdcv41l0RfN1S9H2WXkzSDf49DE/s400/IMG_3998.JPG) |
Then dredged the meat pieces in seasoned flour and browned both sides. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcmnCCbAJsRn89a-yx0Rbx_sNFfQZCNiWDr6W6V-8Reohp39QSkKFupWXopS6wjcN1nbR9y-eRV1fYpBdg8frVFEVhLZMnUPaM_hyphenhyphenX1jfzqQTDPBUxVd1rIT53WV7VSD8Yg-W7EP_CRQ/s400/IMG_3999.JPG) |
Then added to braising vessel along with onion and zucchini pieces and the stock. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3AuzS7LQdMYU-dp1aM_8BXDUcdDLB26TR3b_q6uTpGn51LFa4lSa94365_szBZEZNDUA19Qsu-Pm1fUw3RNpyZTjJrd6LKT7uQ5WuLHk6E-6ccfpmx90VHEydQ4PUAbEtaKy5JPdy2c/s400/IMG_4000.JPG) |
Covered with a piece of parchment paper. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOmzXWiDgQFEzYyHwDnRTX_QvS7kX9RzBt1QguDnE44-d78WN1ZzaqdGlLXjrJVsTYmczk76-Pkv5P4B5BXKGNMpYyJoQeQ11cq7MYzftIoGDf6lN0K7FFvKveVADXD7L1tp5LyhLk3zE/s400/IMG_4001.JPG) |
The an aluminum foil to trap the steam. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrE416HFOBN0DYSJBD93sTnPJPLKKkZS8I-qMIrMfReUEIvKWmhox7ZDzHZdtk7PQMskSVeEBl9X5QoXCx-oTMIZe7fCzvnAmWc4d5rv4OlwTwSWWhNt4FXYHTfpAmIIEFFKvCG5ZON4/s400/IMG_4005.JPG) |
Cook in a 355 F (~180 C) oven. Braising time is affected by: your meat piece size, and the altitude of your living area. After 2 hours, I checked my meat and it was not ready. so I gave another half an hour and that worked!
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoZrbA61-jrbUisKOlfyyqoO0mZ12LRbNi7WFCh-Hr-LzHSZlJvqqEsm7hp4fhzBm3EpKMOCd6vA7U-VKnp7vmWqkaeJPl5geXliVPup14poT49kRc2kh3ciaj4Imkhqozc9l2nxyXL0/s400/IMG_4007.JPG) |
For poached zucchini, I added all the ingredients to a sauce pan. and set the heat on low. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNPVPN8qipTsVlDM4qJtJ9WAzlIJzWlbB45pEBk1lScnoPKMz1mPgelXiL9YVVLGuzkzxJsyKNdYdae2fzfZA5t2kHexCYmFP7IsafPBTgWGMPhiQYWM1jJm0bPVBcl2apXobxhv-wiE/s400/IMG_4008.JPG) |
When zucchini was tender and about to be ready, I increased the heat to reduce the sauce. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh14MO2eFODu33khRG3loJxO0uXV0RHQoudQXhC8RiNKcyBn_rxNMrZprI4920CROB1z4yDeTPUNrcY2kCfn_a0CO7gkriCrHHfWQ1ZnSi4rIWlgUdvNK1rA_fY13CslrmgI2h_j2Dx20s/s400/IMG_4004.JPG) |
To make fancy Tah-dig, I cut a flour tortilla into strips and dredged in the remaining oil from the browning of meat.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkz8REjABljk7qTH0Nc6Ynpr8X0c2YGWvf5Q9q8IkpHpBKkMFww7BOM-GtUJUzZdRjotUNCOst6NF9mEgMBVzkRsICVdf0_-VUlFOqgmDka8x9spZW28fvpFVLF3yY99siDIPsG86x8s/s400/IMG_4009.JPG) |
Then fit them into my muffin pan and added parboil rice, enough to fill the cell. For instructions on the Persian style of rice, check this post. I also added a few drops of saffron solution to the rice in the pan.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPn0ZZ0MdBThXNY7G9nfQQGlfyOWbgORB3pzrT7CSf55Fxx-nLQfphDftwKPyJcY7ozxlwkvGnR23xzVgy5NAmUhqRmQBMiG3iB47Y9PqR5NDJP35A23bOXhKtw_byN30HZGYX2LtzKM/s400/IMG_4017.JPG) |
I put the pan in the same braising oven for half an hour.
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDpTQS3aRI4_5OLxXYXoy-ZvEH-BRFDxj4xEOXD6YZt-YOWoitxu5VzavGSRTCBkSn54Un7ZXm1f6umlzOeJwy-_upxxqoiJEKHPWUl6S_04a3wSB4vBN2QpEt9DNiMrh2K72qduQEx0/s640/IMG_4037.JPG) |
And finally I assembled my dish. With both the sauces. I reduced the braising liquid first.
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