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Persian Beef Khoresh with Tart Peaches

Adapted from New Food of Life, Najmieh Batmanglij
Course Entree
Cuisine Iranian, Persian

Ingredients

  • 4 large onions, thinly sliced, divided
  • 3-4 lbs beef chuck, preferably bone-in
  • 4 T grapeseed oil, divided
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 T advieh, see recipe below, divided
  • ⅔ cup fresh lime juice
  • ½ cup sugar
  • hefty pinch of saffron
  • 8 firm, underripe peaches, washed well to remove fuzz but not skin, pitted and sliced
  • cooked Basmati rice for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Pat the beef chuck dry. Salt and pepper it and leave it to stand for 20 minutes.
  2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat with 2-3 tablespoons of grapeseed oil in it. Add the beef chuck and sear it on each side, getting it nice and brown. Remove it to a wide bowl or platter.
  3. Dump about 1 onion, thinly sliced, into the pot with a pinch of salt. The water in the onion will help deglaze the pan, but if help is needed throw in a splash of water. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of the advieh spice mix and stir to roast the spices for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the lime juice and sugar with the pinch of saffron. Bring to a boil, stirring. Add the beef chuck with the rest of the sliced onions into the pot. Cover with a tight, heavy lid and place in the oven. Leave it to cook for 2 hours.

  5. In the meantime, heat a nonstick skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil over medium high heat. When it is shimmering, add the peaches and brown them. When they are golden brown, and when the beef has been cooking for about 2 hours, add the peaches, remaining onions and the last 2 teaspoons of advieh to the Dutch oven.

  6. Check the meat. At this point things are pretty flexible--it is more a matter of when you want the dish to be ready and how far along the meat is. If it is already pretty tender, the timing of things is up to you. Leave it at 300 F for another hour, 325 F for 30-45 minutes, or turn it down to 275 F for longer than an hour. If the meat is not tender, return to the 300 F oven and check it again in 45-60 minutes. Then proceed as previously directed.
  7. Serve the Khoresh over rice--I have yet to master any traditional Persian rice dishes, so I just used plain Basmati.