Caramelised Onion Carne Seca Escondidinho with Coalho Crust

Method

1. Cut the carne seca into 5 cm pieces, rinse off the surface salt, cover with cold water and leave in the fridge for at least 12 h, changing the water 3 or 4 times to draw out the salt.

   Add in this stepCarne seca (salted dried beef) 240 g

2. Drain the beef, put it in a 18 cm pot with the bay leaf and cover with fresh water by 3 cm. Bring to the boil on high heat, skim, then simmer on medium-low heat for 55 min until it pulls apart easily with a fork. Save a ladle of the cooking broth, then tear the beef into fairly chunky shreds, discarding fat and gristle.

   Add in this stepBay leaf 1

   high heat→medium-low heat

3. Peel the cassava, removing the pink layer too, and cut it into 5 cm chunks. Put it in a 20 cm pot with cold water and the salt for the water. Bring to the boil on high heat, then cook on medium heat for 25 min until a knife slides in easily and the pieces crack. Drain and remove the woody core.

   Add in this stepCassava 400 gSalt ½ tsp

   high heat→medium heat

4. Warm the milk with some crushed garlic in a small pan on low heat for 4 min, until steaming but not boiling, then lift out the garlic. Press the hot cassava through a sieve or ricer, then beat in half the butter, the cream cheese and the rest of the salt. Add the garlic milk a little at a time, stirring with a spatula, until the purée is smooth and soft enough to pipe. Spoon it into a piping bag.

   Add in this stepMilk 90 mlGarlic cloves 1¼Unsalted butter 18 gCream cheese (or requeijão) 50 gSalt ½ tsp

   low heat

5. Melt the remaining butter in a wide frying pan, add the sliced onion and cook on medium-low heat for 14 min, stirring often, until deep golden brown and sweet. If the bottom starts to catch, add a spoonful of water and scrape. Add the rest of the garlic, chopped, and the deseeded chilli and cook for 1 minute more.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter 18 gOnion, thinly sliced 1½Garlic cloves 1¾Red chilli ½

   medium-low heat

6. Turn the heat up to medium-high heat, add the shredded beef and cook for 5 min, leaving it undisturbed between turns so the edges crisp and brown deeply. Pour in the saved broth and scrape up the browned bits so the beef turns juicy again, then finish with the sliced spring onion and pepper.

   Add in this stepSpring onion 2Black pepper to taste

   medium-high heat

7. Divide the beef between 2 × 300 ml gratin dishes and press it down flat. Pipe the purée from the edges inwards so the meat is completely covered, then scatter over the mozzarella mixed with the parmesan.

   Add in this stepMozzarella, grated 50 gParmesan, finely grated 20 g

8. Bake on the top shelf of the oven (oven) preheated to 220 °C for 12 min, until the cheese is a deep golden brown and crisp. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

   oven