Walt Disney World Jamaican Braised Beef with Pigeon Pea Rice Recipe
La Isla Fresca, Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival
Epcot®
Serves 4 to 6
SOFRITO
1 Spanish onion, quartered
3 green bell peppers, quartered
3 Scotch Bonnet peppers, halved (wear disposable gloves for handling)
2 garlic cloves, halved 1/4 cup cilantro, stemmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped
BRAISED BEEF
6 cups beef stock
2-3 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 5- to 6-ounce pieces
Pinch salt, pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup sofrito (recipe above)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
PIGEON PEA RICE
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup sofrito (recipe above)
2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup cooked pigeon peas
FOR SOFRITO:
Combine all ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth. Can be made ahead and refrigerated.
FOR BRAISED BEEF:
1. Pour 6 cups beef stock into medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 3 cups, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Season beef short ribs with salt and pepper.
3. Heat olive oil over high heat in large Dutch oven or braising pan. Add beef and sear, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove from pan.
4. Reduce heat to low and add sofrito and tomato paste, stirring to blend. Add thyme, allspice, nutmeg and bay leaf. Increase heat to medium, add reduced beef stock and bring to boil.
5. Return cooked beef to pot. Cover and braise in oven for about 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender and loose around the bone. Remove beef from pot and keep warm until ready to serve.
6. Pour liquid into fat separator with skimmer basket. Once separated, pour liquid and any small pieces of the sofrito from skimmer back into pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low to thicken. Keep warm until ready to serve.
FOR PIGEON PEA RICE:
1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Once oil is hot, stir in sofrito and rice.
2. Add cumin, coriander, bay leaf and salt. Stir in chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
3. Remove from heat and stir in pigeon peas.
TO SERVE:
Place pigeon pea rice in the center of each plate. Top with braised beef and serve sofrito on the side.
What to drink: At the festival, you can pair this dish with a tropical fruit and rum cocktail over ice or frozen.
