1 kg of stewing beef
1 onion
1/3 can of chopped tomatoes
A large glass of red wine
Bay leaf
Sprig of thyme
Cinnamon stick (2 or 3 cm long)
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of salt
Heaped teaspoon paprika
Picada (add 30 minutes before the end of cooking)
Slice of bread
Heaped desertspoon ground almonds
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Begin by slowly browning the chopped onion in oil, salt, and sugar over medium heat. This step takes about 40 minutes.
Once the onion is browned, add the paprika and tomato. Let the mixture cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Next, add the cinnamon stick, herbs, wine, and water to the pot. Fill the pot halfway with the liquid.
Season the beef with salt and pepper, then add it to the pot. There’s no need to brown the beef at this stage.
Bring the stew to a boil, then transfer it to the oven (without a lid) and bake it at 155 degrees Celsius for approximately 3 hours.
During the last 30 minutes of cooking, check the beef for tenderness and add water if necessary to prevent the stew from drying out.
To make the picada, toast the ground almonds in a dry pan until fragrant. Then, add the breadcrumbs and chopped garlic to the toasted almonds.
Stir the picada mixture into the stew and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
