Beef Cheeks with Silky Leek and Potato Mash
These glorious rich, succulent, and delicious pieces of beef were once considered trim. Thanks to the hard work of some serious chefs, beef cheeks are now a prized dish, perfect for those cooler spring nights and perfect with a big glass of shiraz.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
4 beef cheeks, trimmed (approx 1kg)
plain flour
100g pancetta, thickly sliced
50ml olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 celery sticks
2 tablespoons tomato puree
2 tablespoons brandy or port
500ml red wine
750ml beef or veal stock
bouquet garnis (or 4 bay leaves, sprig of thyme, sprig of sage)
Salt and pepper
Mash
5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks
salt pepper
60g butter
60 ml extra virgin olive oil
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 1cm half-moons
1 cup chicken stock, hot
Method
Preheat the oven to 150ºC
Remove any obvious sinew or silver membrane from the cheeks (or you can ask your friendly butcher from Daylesford Meat Co to do this for you.) Cut each of the beef cheeks in half. Dust in a little seasoned flour. Cut the pancetta into batons and fry in the oil on medium-high in a heavy-based ovenproof pot (or dutch oven) with a close-fitting lid. Once they begin to brown, add the cheeks, and brown all over. Remove the cheeks and pancetta from the pot.
To the existing fat and juices in the pot, add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté over moderate-low heat for 15 minutes or until soft. Increase heat to high and add the meat and pancetta back to the pot and stir for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with the port or brandy. Add the wine, stock, herbs and allow the pot to boil without the lid. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cover and place in the oven for 2.5-3 hours or until the beef cheeks are soft. Turn off the oven, leaving the pot in the oven until just before you are ready to serve.
Meanwhile, make the mash by placing the potatoes into a saucepan and covering them well with water. Add several teaspoons of salt, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
While the potatoes are boiling, cook the chopped leeks in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat with the oil and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally until the leeks are soft. Add the hot chicken stock, a little salt and pepper and bring the pot to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let stand. Run the potatoes through a ricer or mash well. Blend the leeks until smooth. Fold the leeks into the potatoes and cover.
Serve the mash onto heated plates, a portion of beef cheeks on top and spoon over the rich vegetables and sauce. Serve immediately with a good red wine such as Passing Clouds Bendigo Shiraz.
Scroll down for a printable version of the recipe.
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Beef Cheeks with Silky Leek and Potato Mash
Ingredients
- 4 beef cheeks, trimmed (approx 1kg)
- plain flour
- 100g pancetta, thickly sliced
- 50ml olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 tablespoons brandy or port
- 500ml red wine
- 750ml beef or veal stock
- bouquet garnis (or 4 bay leaves, sprig of thyme, sprig of sage)
- Salt and pepper
- 5 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks
- salt pepper
- 60g butter
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 1cm half-moons
- 1 cup chicken stock, hot
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150ºC
- Remove any obvious sinew or silver membrane from the cheeks (or you can ask your friendly butcher from Daylesford Meat Co to do this for you.) Cut each of the beef cheeks in half into equal pieces. Dust in a little seasoned flour. Cut the pancetta into batons and fry in the oil on medium-high in a heavy-based ovenproof pot (or dutch oven) with a close-fitting lid. Once they begin to brown, add the cheeks, and brown all over. Remove the cheeks and pancetta from the pot.
- To the existing fat and juices in the pot, add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté over moderate-low heat for 15 minutes or until soft. Increase heat to high and add the meat and pancetta back to the pot and stir for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with the port or brandy. Add the wine, stock, herbs and allow the pot to boil without the lid. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cover and place in the oven for 2.5-3 hours or until the beef cheeks are soft. Turn off the oven, leaving the pot in the oven until just before you are ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, make the mash by placing the potatoes into a saucepan and covering them well with water. Add several teaspoons of salt, cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
- While the potatoes are boiling, cook the chopped leeks in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat with the oil and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally until the leeks are soft. Add the hot chicken stock, a little salt and pepper and bring the pot to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let stand. Run the potatoes through a ricer or mash well. Blend the leeks until smooth. Fold the leeks into the potatoes and cover.
- Serve the mash onto heated plates, a portion of beef cheeks on top and spoon over the rich vegetables and sauce. Serve immediately with a good red wine such as Passing Clouds Bendigo Shiraz.
