Braised beef cheeks with port

  • Preparation 25 min
  • Cooking 3 h 30
  • Servings 4
  • Freezing Absolutely

Ads

Braised beef cheeks with port

  • 4 beef cheeks, about 9 oz (250 g) each
  • Olive oil
  • 1 carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) port wine
  • About 3 cups (750 ml) beef broth
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Juice of 1 lime

Potato and celery root mash

  • 3 large yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 celery root (celeriac), peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) butter
  • 1 cup (250 ml) grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) 15% cream (crème champêtre, a Quebec table cream; half-and-half does the same job)

Ads

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, pour a good dash of olive oil and brown the meat on all sides, about 12 minutes in total. Salt and pepper generously. Add oil as needed. Remove the meat and set aside on a plate.
  • Reduce the heat to medium low and add the carrot, celery and garlic with a thin drizzle of olive oil. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring.
  • Add the red onion and another good drizzle of olive oil, then stir. Caramelize for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Deglaze with the port and scrape the bottom well to lift all the flavour.
  • Add the beef cheeks, the beef broth, tomato paste, brown sugar, thyme, bay leaves and lime juice. Salt and pepper generously and stir. There should be enough liquid to cover the meat three quarters of the way up; add a little more beef broth if needed.
  • Cover, bring to a boil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours, basting the meat occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, make the potato and celery root mash. In a saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the potatoes and celery root for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are very well cooked.
  • Pour into a colander, drain very well, then mash the vegetables with a potato masher and return them to the saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and Parmesan and melt while stirring. Add the cream a little at a time, until you reach the texture you want.
  • Spoon some mash onto each plate, set the meat on top and spoon over the sauce from the bottom of the pot!