Seville, Spain is full of wonderful little tapas restaurants that seem ageless.

Recently, we took a vacation to Spain & Portugal and met up with Allison and Jenn. We had a wonderful time and covered a lot of ground; we visited six cities in two weeks with stops along the way. We loved the architecture, the scenery, the museums, but especially the amazing food! Each city has a unique feel to it which is reflected in its many cafes and tapas bars. We enjoyed making a meal by wandering into interesting looking places and sharing two or three small plate offerings. Especially delicious were the small portions of meat that were obviously slow cooked and surrounded by a fabulous sauce. In Spain and Portugal, pork is everywhere (but there is also beef on the menu as well). I was impressed with how every bit of the pig was used such as the cheeks or the tail. Our family purchased a quarter of an “organic” hog a while back and I had a package of jowls which I used for this recipe – along with a pork chop. I have to credit this blogpost on the site Spanish Sabores for giving me inspiration. However, the dish posted here could also be made with a lean cut of beef.  Serve with slices of crusty bread to mop up the sauce!

Estofado de carne en salsa de vino de Oporto – Meat Braised in Port wine sauce

  

Ingredients

1 pound pork or beef such as pork chops or tenderloin

1 clove garlic, minced or put through press

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon water

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup flour

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut

1/2 medium

onion, diced

2 shallots, peeled and sliced

2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup Port wine (I used Tawny)

Directions:

1. Make a paste with the garlic, parsley, thyme, and water.

2.  Rub the paste into the meat and allow to sit for 20 minutes.

3.  Lightly dredge both sides of the meat with the flour.

4. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, and over medium heat, brown both sides of the meat.

5. Remove the meat from the skillet and set aside. Add the carrots, red bell pepper, onions, and shallots. If necessary add another tablespoon of olive oil and saute the vegetables over medium heat until tender – about 5 to 7 minutes.

6. Add the Port wine, bring up to a boil and scrape up any crusty bits from the bottom of the pan.

7. Place the meat back in the skillet, pour in the beef broth, cover the pan, and simmer over low heat for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender.