Brothy Rice W/ Confit Beef Cheek And Summer Vegetables Recipe
broken rice, smoked and confit k4 beef cheek, eggplant, turnips, cauliflower
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Ingredients
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Broth & Rice
Confit & Smoked K4 Beef Cheek
Summer Vegetables & Garnish
Finishing & Egg
Method
Confit & Smoked K4 Beef Cheek
- 1
Season and prepare cheeks
Pat the beef cheeks dry. Rub each cheek with coarse salt and cracked black pepper. Place garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves around the cheeks in a baking dish that will fit snugly.
- 2
Confit in fat
Pour beef tallow (or neutral oil) into the dish until the cheeks are almost submerged. Cover tightly with foil. Cook in a 275°F / 135°C oven for 3 to 3½ hours, or until fork-tender and the connective tissue collapses. Alternatively, maintain 85–90°C in a water bath for gentle confit if using sous-vide-safe container.
- 3
Cool and refrigerate
Remove the cheeks from the fat, strain and reserve the fat. Let cheeks cool in the refrigerator in some of the fat or on a tray covered, at least 1 hour or up to overnight. This step firms texture for easier smoking and slicing.
- 4
Cold smoke the cheeks (optional but recommended for 'smoked' flavor)
Set a smoker or cold-smoke generator up to produce smoke at low temperature (under 90°F / 32°C). Place chilled confit cheeks on a rack and cold-smoke with apple or hickory chips for 20–40 minutes depending on desired smokiness. If you don't have a cold smoker, finish with a quick hot smoke (20 minutes at 225°F / 110°C) after searing (next step).
- 5
Crisp and finish
For service, gently remove excess fat, pat cheeks dry, and sear in a very hot skillet with 1 tbsp neutral oil for 1–2 minutes per side to develop a crust (or 5–10 minutes total if hot-smoking). Rest 5 minutes, then shred or slice cheeks into bite-sized pieces. Reserve some shredded pieces and the cooking juices.
Broth & Rice
- 6
Rinse and soak rice
Rinse the broken rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain and let sit 10 minutes to drain fully.
- 7
Simmer rice in broth
In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, 6 cups beef or chicken stock, 1 cup water, soy or fish sauce (if using), and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook 20–25 minutes until rice is tender but not mushy and the mixture is brothy — there should be some free liquid left to create a 'brothy rice' texture.
- 8
Finish rice
Turn off the heat, stir in 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp neutral oil to give the rice a glossy finish. Adjust seasoning to taste. Keep covered and warm while finishing other components.
Summer Vegetables
- 9
Prep vegetables
Preheat oven to 425°F / 220°C. Quarter the eggplants lengthwise if small, halve the baby turnips, and cut cauliflower into small florets. Toss vegetables in a bowl with 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp lemon zest, 0.75 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper until evenly coated.
- 10
Roast vegetables
Arrange vegetables on a sheet pan in a single layer. Roast in the preheated oven 18–25 minutes, turning once halfway, until eggplant is tender and caramelized and turnips and cauliflower are golden and cooked through. Remove from oven and immediately toss with toasted sesame oil and chopped parsley. Keep warm.
- 11
Optional quick-char for eggplant
For extra smoky flavor, after roasting, quickly char eggplant cut sides in a very hot skillet or over a gas flame for 30–60 seconds until blistered.
Finishing & Egg
- 12
Poach or soft-boil eggs
Bring a medium pot of water to a gentle simmer with a splash of vinegar for poaching, or bring to a rolling boil and then reduce for soft-boiling. For soft-boiled eggs with jammy yolks: gently lower eggs into boiling water and cook 6 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath for 3 minutes, then peel. For poached eggs: crack eggs into small cups and slip into simmering water; cook 3–3½ minutes for runny yolk, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
- 13
- 14
- 15
Garnish and serve
Finish with a drizzle of reserved cooking juices or a light spoon of confit fat (optional), scatter microgreens or cilantro, sprinkle chives, cracked black pepper and a pinch of flaky salt. Serve immediately while hot so the egg yolk mixes into the brothy rice.