Beef escondidinho

Ingredients

• 800 g peeled frozen cassava
• 500 g ground beef
• 1 piece yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 200 g canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 120 ml whole milk
• 80 g crème fraîche
• 120 g shredded mozzarella
• 0.5 bunches fresh cilantro
• 1 leaf bay leaf
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• to taste fine salt
• to taste ground black pepper

Method

1. Boil the cassava in a large pot of salted water with the bay leaf until it is very tender and falls apart easily when pierced with a knife.
2. Drain the cassava, remove the hard central fibers, then mash it while still hot with the butter until you achieve a soft and almost smooth texture.
3. Mix in the hot milk and crème fraîche, working the purée until it becomes creamy, then adjust the salt and keep warm.
4. Sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil until it is translucent and sweet, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant without browning.
5. Add the ground beef and sear it, breaking it up with a spoon, until it loses its raw juices and begins to catch slightly on the bottom of the pan.
6. Add the tomato paste, paprika, crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper, then simmer until you have a thick, glossy, and highly aromatic filling.
7. Off the heat, stir the chopped cilantro into the beef to maintain its freshness, then spread the filling in an oiled baking dish.
8. Cover with the cassava purée, smoothing it out without packing it too tightly, scatter with shredded mozzarella, and bake until the top is golden, bubbling around the edges, and slightly crispy.
9. Let it rest for a few moments before serving, so that the layers hold together while remaining melt-in-the-mouth to the spoon.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

883.1 kcal

Protein

35.47 g

Carbohydrate

79.13 g

Fat

46.49 g

Fibre

5.74 g

Calcium

60.91 mg

Iron

0.56 mg

Magnesium

15.23 mg