Hardly no one in our part of the world is not in love with Kritharaki, the rice shaped pasta. In this case it is treated like risotto and matched with the rare delicacy, veal cheeks, that simply melt in your mouth.
Comforting, modern/traditional recipe and delightful flavours that you can easily become addicted to.
Kritharoto with Veal Cheeks
Have a look below at the full recipe. Don’t forget, you can always print it.
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I hope you enjoy it!
Finely chop the carrot and onion.
Pour 2 tbsp of oil. After a minute add the beef cheeks,
and sauté all sides until nicely browned. Remove the cheeks from the pot and keep aside.
Add a drizzle of oil, ⅔ of the carrots and ⅔ of the chopped onions, the bay leaves and sauté for 5’.
Return the cheeks to the pot,
and deglaze with the red wine.
When the alcohol has evaporated add the chopped tomatoes,
and the chicken broth.
Season with salt and pepper,
add the thyme and coriander,
and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with its lid and simmer for 3h.
For the kritharoto, place a large and deep-frying pan on medium heat and add half the butter and the remaining 2 tbsp of oil.
Add the remaining chopped carrots and onions and sauté for about 4’.
Then we add the garlic and sauté for less than a minute until fragrant.
Add the kritharaki and sauté for a minute while stirring continuously.
Then deglaze with the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate and reduced a bit, for about 2-3’.
Season with salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat and start adding the vegetable broth 1-2 cups at a time. Keep on stirring and once the water has been almost absorbed add the next cup or two of broth.
Repeat the process until the kritharaki is cooked to al-dente. Allow to reduce, you want a creamy but not runny kritharoto.
turn off the heat and add the remaining butter while stirring well to melt and incorporate.
Serve the kritharoto in a bowl type of plate,
place on top the beef cheeks meat with their sauce.
Sprinkle the Halloumi and optionally garnish with parsley.
Here you can find more of my Recipes with Halloumi.
Kritharoto with Veal Cheeks
Servings: 5 People
Ingredients
- 500g Kritharaki , Orzo pasta
- 1kg Veal cheeks , fat removed
- 4 tbsp EVOO , Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 60g Butter , Country Life
- 1 Yellow Onion , finely chopped
- 1 large Carrot , cut lengthwise and then finely chopped
- 400g Chopped Tomatoes , canned
- 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon , diluted into 600ml warm water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp dry Coriander , ground
- 1 clove Garlic , minced through a garlic presser
- 3 tbsp fresh Parsley , leaves picked and finely chopped, optional
- 300ml red Wine
- 150ml dry White Wine
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Bouillon , diluted into 1.2 L warm water
- 100g Halloumi , Pissourkotiko Traditional Goat Halloumi, Charalambides Christis, grated
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Put a large pot or casserole on medium-high heat and when hot pour 2 tbsp of oil. After a minute add the beef cheeks and sauté all sides until nicely browned. Remove the cheeks from the pot and keep aside.
- In the same pot on medium heat add a drizzle of oil, ⅔ of the carrots and ⅔ of the chopped onions, then the bay leaves and sauté for 5’. Return the cheeks to the pot and deglaze with the red wine and when the alcohol has evaporated add the chopped tomatoes and the chicken broth. Season with 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of pepper, add the thyme and coriander and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with its lid and simmer for 3h. During the cooking process we uncover and gently stir. If dry, we add more water. When ready we should have a nice thick sauce and melting cheeks. Keep aside.
- For the kritharoto, place a large and deep-frying pan on medium heat and add half the butter and the remaining 2 tbsp of oil. When hot and the butter has melted, add the remaining chopped carrots and onions and sauté for about 4’. Then we add the garlic and sauté for less than a minute until fragrant.
- Increase the heat and add the kritharaki and sauté for a minute while stirring continuously. Then deglaze with the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate and reduced a bit, for about 2-3’. Season with 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of pepper.
- Reduce the heat to medium and start adding the vegetable broth 1-2 cups at a time, in the same manner as in when cooking risotto. Keep on stirring and once the water has been almost absorbed add the next cup or two of broth.
- Repeat the process until the kritharaki is cooked to al-dente. Allow to reduce, you want a creamy but not runny kritharoto, turn off the heat and add the remaining butter while stirring well to melt and incorporate.
- Serve the kritharoto in a bowl type of plate, place on top the beef cheeks meat with their sauce. Sprinkle the Halloumi and optionally garnish with parsley.
