Forcarei richada meat

How to make richada meat or beef .

Today we are going to prepare with it a typical Galician meat recipe , richada meat.

We have opted for the area of ​​Galicia where this recipe is most famous, Forcarei, a municipality in the province of Pontevedra. It is accompanied by cooked potatoes or cachelos as they are known in my land. A recipe that rivals meat or caldeiro directly at home .

As in any Galician recipe, the ingredient is king, so we will have to make sure to take a good piece of the best veal to the kitchen so that the dish comes out as the canons command. If, in addition, the potatoes and the oil are up to the task, we have guaranteed success.

In this case we have used a veal needle. This is the part between the two shoulders, it is considered first class meat (B) and it is tender and juicy, perfect for meat stews and stews .

The croca is also highly recommended, it is the part of the hip that has become so fashionable in Galicia. And if it is of quality it is as tender as the sirloin itself.

As we are going to see it is a very simple and at the same time delicious dish, which we can prepare in just half an hour and with ingredients that we all have on hand.

The most important thing for being such an easy recipe is that the ingredients are of the highest quality. There is no longer an excuse to prepare a typical Galician dish and enjoy it sitting at the table as it has always been done in Galicia.

Preparation of richada meat

1. Peel the potatoes. Chop them and cook for 15 to 20 minutes in salted water. We test with a fork to see if they are done and drain. We reserve.
2. In other areas of Galicia, richada meat is usually accompanied with fried potatoes. Both options are good, but I have stuck to the Forcarei recipe. I have to admit that a good plate of potato chips is also a triumph.
3. We cut the meat into small portions and with little thickness. Salamos.
4. Peel and chop the garlic cloves. We do the same with the onion.
5. We heat a good jet of oil in a frying pan and add the meat when it starts to smoke (it must be very hot). We let it take color while we remove it slowly and carefully.
6. We stir frequently until it has a golden appearance. Once browned, add the garlic and stir. When the garlic has also taken color, add the chopped onion. We let everything be done together.
7. Once the onion has been poached remove the pan from the heat.

Final preparation of the Forcarei richada meat

1. Let it lose heat and add paprika to taste (sweet, spicy or both).
2. We are going to use a small tablespoon (brown size) for the paprika and let it cook with the pan out of the fire. With the residual heat the paprika will be cooked without problem and thus we avoid that it burns and ruins the recipe.
3. We stir to mix well, we return to the fire (medium or slow) and pour the wine.
4. We wait a couple of minutes until it has evaporated and we put out the fire. We place the drained potatoes in a bowl, cover with the richada meat and water with the sauce. The liquid or sauce of the meat must soak the potatoes, is the tip of the recipe.

Accompany this recipe with a good bread to dip in the sauce and a good bottle of wine, for example a good Ribeiro, and it will not take anything else to succeed.

You can see all the photos of the step by step of the Forcarei richada meat recipe   in this album, do not miss any detail and it will be perfect for you.

History and curiosities of this dish

• Fatima Otero tells us that her family is from Soutelo de Montes and at home, they first cook the onion very well, leaving the meat the night before, marinating in red wine, garlic and a little oil. The paprika (mixture of sweet and a little spicy), is thrown almost at the end of the whole, when the meat is almost ready. If you want to vary something with the flavor of the meat, you can also add kidneys or gizzard.
• It is said that this recipe is one of the benefits that the muleteers have left us. An arrieiro was a profession that today would be that of trucker or transporter. In medieval times they used mules or carts to transport all kinds of goods.
• Distances at that time were different, much shorter than today. In Galicia it was very common to carry wine from the O Ribeiro area (in the Ourense province) to other areas, including the Forcarei area (Pontevedra). A passing town on the way to Compostela.
• Perhaps richada meat is the most famous dish in this municipality. The muleteers themselves, who transported the meat for the journey, are said to have softened it under the weight of the wine vats. Then it was prepared in strips, similar to the current form (the same as this recipe) and seasoned with onion, garlic and paprika to give it more flavor.
• In Forcarei, this recipe is honored at its “ Forcarei Richada Festival ” that was held every first Sunday in December. For some years now it has been prepared with croca, a part of the hip that is very tender and juicy. Although I recommend the needle for its preparation, the two parts certainly serve.