Barbacoa Beef Cheeks

• 2 1/2pounds beef cheeks
• 4cloves garlic
• 1tablespoon natural peanut butter
• 1ancho chili
• 1teaspoon instant espresso
• 2tablespoons olive oil (plus 2 more for cooking)
• 1tablespoon honey
• 2teaspoons cumin
• 1teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• 1handful fresh cilantro
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1cup chicken broth (you can use beef too, I just had chicken on hand)
• 3limes
• 1avocado
• fresh cilantro

1. Clean and trim the cheeks. Put them in a container that you can marinate them in.
2. Remove the stem and seeds from the ancho, cut it up into chunks and rehydrate in a little water (I stick it in a ramekin and microwave for 30 seconds)
3. Peel and chop the garlic. Put everything from the garlic to the salt in the food processor (including the water from the chili) and blend into a paste. Toss the paste with the cheeks and marinate for several hours or better yet over night.
4. When it is time to cook, heat the oven to 275, and heat 2 tbs olive oil in a dutch oven. Brown the cheeks on both sides. Use the broth to rinse the rest of the marinade into the dutch oven, then squeeze the juice of 3 limes in.
5. Bake at 275 for 3 1/2 hours - turn the cheeks over once or twice while they cook and if the liquid dries up add a bit more broth
6. When the cheeks are fall-apart tender, take the pan out of the oven. Using 2 forks, pull the meat apart in the pan so that it mixes in with all of that fatty juicy goodness.

Chinese-Style Beef, Sweet Potato, and Bok Choy Stew

• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 piece fresh ginger (1 in. square), cut into chunks
• 1 1/4 pounds beef rib-eye steaks (about 1 1/2 steaks)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
• 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 deep-orange sweet potato
• 12 ounces baby bok choy
• 2 green onions
•  Whirl garlic and ginger in a food processor until minced. Trim fat from steaks and cut across the grain into 1/4-in. slices, 
• discarding pockets of fat. Sprinkle meat with half of garlic mixture and all the salt.
• Heat oil in a 5- to 6-qt. pan over high heat. Brown half the beef lightly, stirring occasionally, 3 to 6 minutes. With a slotted
•  spoon, transfer meat to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining garlic mixture to pan and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in 
• five-spice powder, then broth and soy sauce. Peel sweet potato, halve lengthwise, and cut in 1/3-in.-thick slices. 
• Add to broth. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim ends from bok choy, rinse, separate leaves, and cut in wide diagonal slices. Stir bok choy into 
• stew and simmer just until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in beef and cook until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut onions in 3-in. slivers.
• 
  
• Ladle stew into bowls and garnish with onions.

Goat (or beef or lamb) Korma

Serves 4-6

3-4 tablespoons ghee
2 onions, sliced
1/2 cup crispy almonds or cashews
2 pounds goat shoulder roast, cubed (lamb or beef would be fine, too)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam marsala powder
1/2 teaspoon mace powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups beef broth (or goat broth if you have it)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup yogurt

Melt 2 tablespoons of ghee in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, turn the heat down to medium, and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are medium brown. I find I need to turn down the heat slightly during the process. It pays to be patient here and really let the onions brown, but not burn. Add the nuts and continue frying until the onions are deep brown.

Remove onions and almonds from the pan and set aside to cool. Using an immersion blender, food processor or other blender, purée the onions and nuts.

Turn the heat back up to medium-high and melt another tablespoon or two of ghee. When the pan is hot again, add the cubed goat meat. Do not crowd the meat in the pan as that will steam rather than brown it. Brown the meat in batches instead. Leave the meat undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, so that it gets a good sear.

When it releases easily from the pan, it is ready to turn.

Brown on two sides, then add the coriander, garam marsala, mace, cardamom, and cayenne to the meat and warm for a minute or two, until they’re quite fragrant. Add the broth and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the bay, ginger, garlic, salt, and onion-nut mixture. Add the yogurt and stir until it is fully incorporated into the sauce. Bring to a very gentle simmer–the yogurt may curdle if the sauce boils–and cook until the meat is tender, about two hours. Serve with a dollop of yogurt.

Miso Beef Noodle Soup

• 10 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Penzey's beef soup base
  
• 2 tablespoons red miso paste
• 1 pound lean beef, cut into thin slices
• 2 cups thinly sliced green onions
• 1 pound udon noodles
• -- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions: Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan, reduce to a simmer and whisk in the miso paste until thoroughly combined. Add the noodles and onions and simmer until noodles are al dente, about 2 minutes. Add the beef, and cook two minutes more, or until beef is cooked through. Taste and adjust for seasoning, then divide among bowls and serve piping hot.