How to Cook: Morcon

This is a meat dish. Layers of thinly sliced beef are soaked in toyo and kalamansi juice. These are then formed into rolls with a mixture of ground pork and other meats, pickles, strips of pork fat, and spices in between. The rolls are wrapped in sinamay, tied securely, and then stewed in tomato sauce, onions, garlic, and laurel leaf. Morcon is of Spanish origin.

Ingredients:

1 kilo lean beef, (preferably the round) sliced thin and wide. (will make 2 rolls)
1 tablespoon kalamansi
1 tablespoon tuyo
6 strips of pork fat
2 chorisos de bilbao (Spanish Sausage) halved lengthwise
6 slices of ham or bacon
2 hard-cooked eggs quartered
1/4 cup sweet mixed pickles
2 tablespoons grated cheese (queso de bola)
1/2 cup tomato sauce or 4 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
3 cups water or stock
1 laurel leaf, torn into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch or bread crumbs

Procedure:

Soak the meat in toyo and kalamansi juice for 15 minutes.
Spread the meat out on a flat surface.
Arrange the strips of fat, choriso, ham, quartered eggs, and sweet pickles side by side on the meat and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Roll tightly, keeping the stuffing well inside.
Tie around with a thick thread or wrap in a piece of sinamay.
Cook slowly in a covered container with tomatoes, onion, laurel, garlic and 2 cups water or stock.
Season with salt.
Cook until meat is tender.
Remove from the fire and set aside to cool.
Strain the liquid and thicken with cornstarch or breadcrumbs.
Serve this as sauce for morcon.