We're in the Google Age. Unknowingly, we think ‘google' all the time. For example, how many mental notes have you made over this weekend to remind yourself to google such and such?
Today's recipe is beef olives, or as popularly known on the island, bragoli. Right, Let's google bragoli. What comes up? A link to ‘Bragoli & Associates', a personal injury law firm located in New York.
Hmmm. They're quite a big thing apparently: "We are known for aggressively representing our clients which has led to settlements and verdicts totalling hundreds of millions of dollars," claims their website. I hope they never consider opening a branch in Malta. Can you imagine:
Friend: "So who's handling your motor vehicle accidents/ slip /trip /fall / construction accident/ workers' compensation/ medical malpractice case?"
You: "Oh. I've roped in a company of experienced trial lawyers ... err, um, Bragoli and Associates." [Cue: loud guffaws]
The moral is that there's a lot in a name. Otherwise why is it that something like ‘Fenek and Associates' would be acceptable, but bragoli doesn't quite make the bar? Possibly because of ‘common practice': for us bragoli can never be anything else except stuffed steak.
Although beef olives are basically rolled, browned then cooked in tomato sauce, there's a certain art to the dish. It requires a pinch of amor propre while preparing it. It can be grilled or fried. Or one can opt for a single beef olive which is larger in size, is usually roasted and is called Bragolun (google the word and for some obscure reason, a horoscope site comes up).
The best thing to do with the beef olives is to take them to the baker's on a Sunday morning, and leave it there to roast with other people's dishes - that will give a performance result worthy of a bonus at Bragoli and Associates.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 min
Cooking time: 60 min
Ingredients:
4 large slices beef knuckle
300 grams pork mince
300g bacon
6 eggs hardboiled
curry powder
grated cheese
parsley
red wine
2 onions, chopped
3 medium sized carrots, chopped
300g peas
tomato paste
tomato puree
2 large potatoes
2 bay leaves
Method:
Prepare the stuffing by chopping the bacon finely then, add it to the pork mince, the chopped hardboiled eggs, some chopped parsley and grated cheese. Mix well.
Lay out the slices of beef. Place a tablespoon of the stuffing on each slice, leaving one edge uncovered. Roll up from the covered end and secure with toothpicks. Fry the bragoli in shallow oil until brown all over, remove and place in a plate.
In the same pan, fry the onions and the chopped carrots and potatoes. Add the tomato puree and a spoonful of tomato paste. Then add the bay leaves and a glass of red wine. Place the bragoli in the pan and cook everything together. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour. At the end add the peas. Serve warm.