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Minotaur beef

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Photo by Tam West

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This slow-cooked, pomegranate molasses-flavoured beef recipe comes from Auckland Turkish restaurant, Lokanta. It is served with a spinach pilaf and thick Greek yoghurt. Ray McVinnie chats to the hospitality veterans behind the restaurant here.

1 kg	Beef chuck steak, or scotch fillet, sinew removed, cut into chunks
18 whole	Baby onions, peeled
¼ cup	Olive oil
2 Tbsp	Pomegranate molasses
½ cup	Red pepper paste
1 tsp	Chilli flakes
3 tsp	Salt, and plenty of ground black pepper

2 bunches	Spinach, washed and chopped, including stalks
1	Large onion, chopped
1 cup	Medium grain rice
½ cup	Extra virgin olive oil
1½ tsp	Salt

To make the beef

Heat oven to 180C.
Place beef into an oiled roasting dish and nestle the onions in among the meat.
Combine olive oil, red pepper paste, pomegranate molasses, chilli flakes, salt and plenty of ground black pepper in a bowl then slowly add 2 cups water, whisking to combine.
Pour over the beef and onions, adding more water only if necessary, to just cover.
Cover with foil, bring to a boil on stove top then place in the oven for 2 hours. Uncover and cook for a further hour, checking after 30 minutes.
Serve with Turkish spinach pilaf and thick greek yoghurt.

To make pilaf

Place spinach, onion and rice in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Pour over enough water to cover along with the oil and salt. Immediately turn heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. It should still be a little juicy but the rice will be cooked. Best served warm, not hot.