Ingredients
1.5 kg beef cheeks
100ml olive oil
1 large brown onion, diced
600ml beef stock
500ml red wine
2 sprigs rosemary
5 cloves garlic
4 each baby carrots, baby turnips, shallots, baby golden beets, peeled, halved
1 cauliflower, broken into florets
2 brown onions, finely sliced
300ml thickened cream
Salt and white pepper to season
Micro herbs to garnish
Method
1. Preheat oven to 160ºC.
2. Heat 50ml of oil in a large heavy based frying pan, sweat brown onion until translucent then add to baking dish. In the same frying pan, brown beef cheeks and add to baking dish. Add the beef stock, red wine, rosemary and garlic.
3. Cover and cook in the oven at 160ºC for 2½ – 3 hours, depending on size of beef cheeks. Check after 2½ hours, the beef cheeks should be holding their shape but be easy to pull apart. Once cooked, remove beef cheeks and set aside to rest.
4. Strain cooking liquid and add to a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until liquid has reduced to about 100ml.
Roasted baby vegetables: Put baby vegetables in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, transfer to a baking tray and cook in a 180ºC oven for 15-20 mins.
Cauliflower purée: Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over low heat, add cauliflower and sliced onion. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until cauliflower is soft and onion is translucent. Be very careful not to brown the cauliflower. Once soft, add cream and reduce a little and season with salt and pepper.
Using a stick blender, purée cauliflower with some of the cooking liquid to form a smooth, creamy consistency.
To serve: spread cauliflower purée on plate, place beef cheek pieces on top, scatter baby vegetables on plate, drizzle with jus, garnish with micro herbs.
Note: If baby vegetables are not available, quarter whole vegetables
Wine Match: Hollick The Bard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016