Tender and pulled beef cheek, slow cooked in a red wine sauce on a bed of leek puree with thick gravy.
This simple but satisfying dish is low maintenance and the red wine and herbs make for an absolute winner of a hearty lunch or dinner. Although it takes a few hours to cook, the preparation is minimal and so is the clean up. Get things done while it simmers away for a few hours 💅🏼
Tried and tested, the beef cheeks pass the fork test for Level 7- Regular Easy to Chew, and the Leek for Level 4- Puree.
Braised Beef Cheeks in Red Wine with Leek Puree.
Serves- 4
Ingredients
1.5kg beef cheeks
3 tbsp olive oil
4 french shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 stick celery
1 carrot
2 cups red wine
1 cup beef stock
6 sprigs thyme
4 bay leaves
2 tsp corn flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Remove membrane and excess fat from the beef cheeks.
2. Warm 2 tbsp of olive oil in an oven proof pot and brown each cheek, one at a time if necessary, and approximately 3 minutes each side.
3. Once browned, remove cheeks and set aside on a plate.
4. Add last tsp of olive oil, chopped shallots and garlic to the pot and fry off until shallots are translucent.
5. Add celery and carrot to the pot and continue to cook for approximately 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the red wine to the pot and deglaze, gently scraping any caramelised residue from the bottom of the pot.
7. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute.
8. Add the beef stock, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and return beef cheeks back to the pot.
9. Bring to a simmer and place the lid on the pot.
10. Remove from the stove and place in the over for 3-3.5 hours or until beef is tender.
11. About half an hour before the beef is ready, clean and slice the stems of the leak.
12. Steam the leek until soft and then add the butter. Allow to melt and stir through.
13. Blend the leek and butter until smooth and at a puree consistency.
14. When the beef is tender, remove the beef, thyme and bay leaves from the pot. Discard the thyme and bay leaves.
15. Blend the remaining content of the pot until smooth.
16. Bring to a boil on the stove top and allow to simmer until reduced by half or approximately 10-15 minutes.
17. Sieve the corn flour into the pot and stir to thicken the gravy, if desired.
18. Place a spoonful of the pureed leek on a plate. Add a serve of the beef cheek on the top or to the side, and dress with the blended red wine reduction.
Serve and enjoy!! ✨