Menorcan Braised Shin of Beef with Tomato Sauce (Xenc amb Tomatigat)

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 kg boiled shin of beef, cut into cubes

• Tomatigat (Menorcan-style tomato sauce) or homemade tomato sauce

• 1/2 head of garlic

• 1 bay leaf

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

(Optional: roasted red peppers, sliced into strips.)

Preparation

1. Prepare the meat:
   Use the boiled shin of beef from the xenc broth. Once cooled, cut it into bite-sized cubes.

2. Make the base:
   In an earthenware casserole, heat some olive oil with the garlic and bay leaf. When the garlic starts to brown, add the seasoned meat and sauté until golden.

3. Add the tomato sauce:
   Stir in the tomatigat or tomato sauce, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Finish:
   For extra flavor and color, add roasted red pepper strips before serving.

Etymological note:
Xenc is a Menorcan word of English origin, derived from shank, meaning “shin” or “jarret”, adopted during the 18th-century British rule of the island.