Molha is a stew of bone-in beef, cooked slowly until the meat almost falls apart in a thick, fragrant sauce. It is typical of Pico and Faial and comes in many versions: beef is the usual choice, but some cooks make it with pork.
In this Pico version, the meat first takes on the flavour of garlic, salt and chilli, then cooks in white wine with allspice, cumin and cinnamon, the spices that set Pico's molha apart. It is served with boiled potatoes to soak up the sauce. In the past it was the Christmas dish of many humble households on the island.
Method
Cut the beef into medium pieces and season it in a large bowl with coarse salt, the crushed garlic and the chopped chillies, mixing everything by hand so the seasoning gets in well.
Cover and leave the meat to take on the flavours in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
In a large heavy pan, melt the lard and cook the onion with the chopped garlic over medium heat until golden.
Stir in the tomato paste, cumin and allspice and cook for a minute or two.
Pour in the white wine, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaf and let it bubble for a few minutes.
Add the meat with any juices from the marinade, cover and simmer over low heat for about 2½ hours, until very tender. Stir now and then, adding a little water whenever the sauce starts to dry out.
While the stew finishes, boil the potatoes in their skins in salted water, then peel them.
Taste and adjust the salt, remove the cinnamon stick and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Leave to rest for a few minutes, covered and off the heat.
Serve piping hot with the boiled potatoes.
Tips
- Choose bone-in cuts with some fat, such as shin or short rib: the bone gives body to the sauce.
- Pimenta-da-jamaica is allspice; use whole berries, sold in spice shops and many supermarkets.
- No fresh chillies? Use 1 teaspoon of red chilli paste (massa de malagueta) or a pinch of dried chilli flakes. For a mild molha, leave them out and add a little more cinnamon.
- In a pressure cooker, allow about 20–25 minutes at full pressure and let the pressure drop naturally so the meat stays tender.
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