The ultimate comfort dish for a cooler day.
These 4 hours braised beef cheeks are so tender that you will be able to cut them with a spoon.
All you will need is a little spoonful of potatoes mash on the side a plenty of bread to soak up the sauce.
INGREDIENTS (serve 2 pp)
2 beef cheeks , trimmed
Extra-Virgin olive oil
3 celery sticks, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 bouquet of mixed fresh herbs (sage, bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley)
250 ml red wine
1 passata bottle
1 tbsp tomato paste
Salt
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 160ºC.
Season the beef cheeks with sea salt and black pepper, then brown them in a large casserole over high heat with a splash of olive oil, turning until well coloured all over.
Meanwhile peel the celery, onions and carrots, then chop into rough 1cm dice.
When brown, remove the cheeks and place them on a trey aside.
Reduce to a medium heat and add the vegetables to the pan.
Tie the herbs together, then stir in with the vegetables. At this stage you want to add the tomato paste.
Fry for 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.
Put the beef cheeks back into the casserole, pour in the wine, let it reduce by half, then pour the passata.
Fill the passata bottle with water and pour into the pan. Cover with a scrunched-up sheet of baking paper and a lid.
Cook in the oven for 4 hours, or until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste the sauce and season if needed.
Serve the cheeks and top each one with some of the sauce.
