Recipe: “Henan’ Omby Ritra”

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This “Henan’ Omby Ritra” dish is a classic one from Madagascar’s culinary heritage, and normally contains zebu. This delicious version is served only on special order for our guests. Ask any of our chefs at Constance Tsarabanjina for it & they will put all their love and passion into preparing it.

Ingredients

The meat:

• 1.5kg zebu (rump, chuck or cheek). May be replaced by beef
• 2g black pepper
• 10g garlic
• 10g ginger
• 1 onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red pepper
• Peanut oil
• 200g sealing dough (200g flour and 100ml water)
• Salt/pepper

1. Brown the meat in oil in a casserole for 5 minutes with the chopped onion, crushed garlic, salt chopped tomatoes and ginger slices. Cover it with 0.5 litres of water and cook it for 15 minutes.

2. When the water has completely evaporated, let the meat brown before cooking it in the tomato sauce. Pour in 3 cups of water. Add the chopped pepper and cracked black pepper. Cover and finish it in the oven and let everything cool. Keep the compote of pepper confit.

3. Once the meat is completely cool, put it into another cast iron pot, add the remaining sauce, cover it with the lid and add a strip of sealing dough to ensure the whole thing is hermetically sealed and any evaporation is reduced to a minimum.

The garnish:

• 200g black Chinese rice (Venere)
• 20g butter
• 1 onion
• 4 potatoes
• 100g spring onions
• 500ml chicken stock
• Olive oil
• Salt/pepper

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water. Peel them and mash them with a fork, adding the olive oil and the chopped onion tails. salt it and set it aside.

2. Sweat the chopped onion in butter. Stir in the black rice until it goes white and cook it like risotto, adding the chicken stock as you go along until it is soft.

Finishing and presentation

Bake the sealed casserole in a hot oven at 160/170˚C for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove it from the oven and, using a small pairing knife, open the lid of the pot in front of the guests. Be careful not to burn yourself!

Accompany everything with the mashed potatoes and black rice. Serve the pepper compote with a spoon.

Sommelier’s suggested wine

Strong fruity red wine:

• Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Chèóteau Monbousquet, 2008 France
• Vin de Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône, Domaine de Trévallon, 2008 France