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Hadžijski ćevap
Hadžijski ćevap: Bosnian 'pilgrim's stew' of beef and onions sharpened with vinegar
Named for the hadžije, pilgrims returning from Mecca who were welcomed home with a feast, this Bosnian stew is nothing like grilled ćevapi: cubes of beef are slowly braised with an almost equal weight of onions, garlic, paprika, black pepper and a good splash of vinegar until the onions melt into a sweet-sour gravy. In Sarajevo it is served in a clay pot with mashed potato or rice, and it tastes even better the next day. The usual slip is skimping on onions; they are the sauce. Chef's tip: add the vinegar in two stages, half at the start to tenderise and half at the end for brightness.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb beef chuck or shincut into 3 cm cubes
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 4 onionssliced
- 4 garlic clovessliced
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 2 ½ cups hot water or beef stock
- ⅓ oz fresh parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy casserole over a high heat and brown the 1 ¾ lb beef chuck or shin in two batches for 4 minutes each, until well coloured.
8 minStep 2: Lower the heat to medium, add the 4 onions and cook for 12 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden.
12 minStep 3: Stir in the 4 garlic cloves, 2 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tbsp tomato paste for 1 minute until fragrant, then add half the 2 tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar.
2 minStep 4: Add the 2 bay leaves, 1 ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and hot 2 ½ cups hot water or beef stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the beef is tender when pressed with a spoon and the onions have melted.
90 minStep 5: Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until the gravy is glossy. Rest for 5 minutes and serve with ⅓ oz fresh parsley.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 44 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hadžijski ćevap take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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