Prep time: 30mins
Cook time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Serves 4-6.
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Ingredients
Flat leaf parsley leaves, to garnish
Olive oil, to drizzle
Beef cheeks
2tbs olive oil
4 beef cheeks, trimmed
2tbs plain flour
4 eschallots small brown onions, peeled, halved
4 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
250ml red wine
500ml beef stock
60ml balsamic glaze
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied with butcher’s string
2 sprigs rosemary
2tbs chopped sage leaves
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
Polenta
400ml milk
400ml chicken stock
300g polenta
160g parmesan, finely grated
60g butter, chopped
Gremolata
½ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Method
1. To prepare beef cheeks, preheat oven to 160C.
2. Heat half the oil in a deep flameproof casserole dish (just big enough to snugly fit beef and ensure it is submerged).
3. Lightly dust beef cheeks in flour. Cook, two at a time, for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from dish and set aside.
4. Heat remaining oil in same dish over medium heat. Add vegetables and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add beef cheeks.
5. Bring to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 2 ½ hours or until beef is just tender. Transfer to the stove top and simmer, uncovered, until sauce thickens.
6. Meanwhile, to make polenta, place milk and stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until simmering. Season.
7. Gradually whisk in polenta, then cook, stirring, for 5-8 minutes or until polenta is very soft. Stir in parmesan and butter. Season.
8. To make gremolata, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Season.
9. Serve beef cheeks and sauce with polenta. Sprinkle with gremolata. Garnish with parsley. Drizzle with olive oil.
Tips
On the day, due to time constraints, we cooked our beef cheeks in a pressure cooker. Here we have provided a more conventional oven method, more easily reproduced at home.
