Slow-braised ox cheek with confit garlic, mushrooms and French beans
Cooking low and slow is the key to Matt Tebbutt’s melt-in-the-mouth ox cheek, richly flavoured with garlic and red wine. Finish with green beans in a quick vinaigrette and cheats dauphinoise potatoes.
Ingredients
For the beef
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 beef cheek, left whole
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- bunch fresh thyme
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 150ml/¼ pt red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 Portobello mushrooms, left whole
- 500ml/18fl oz beef stock
- 1 garlic bulb, cut in half
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the cheats dauphinoise potatoes
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh time
- 400g/14oz new potatoes, cleaned, skin on and left whole
- 400ml/14fl oz whole milk
For the garnish
- 10 large garlic cloves (2 finely chopped)
- 50g/1¾oz fine French beans
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
- 1 banana shallot, diced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Method
Season the ox cheek. Set a large casserole pot over medium/high heat, add 2tbsp oil, once hot add the ox cheek and colour on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pot and fry the onion, carrot, celery and herbs. Add the star anise, bay leaf, garlic and thyme, then pour in the wine add the tomato purée, then reduce by half. Add the cheek and mushrooms before covering in the stock and cooking on a low heat for 3–4 hours.
Remove the cheek and mushrooms and set aside. Strain the sauce and reduce, skimming and discarding any fat as you go.
For the cheats dauphinoise potatoes, place the butter in the base of a cold small saucepan. Add the bay leaf, thyme and new potatoes and cover with the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes until all the milk has nearly disappeared.
For the garnish, start by covering 8 whole garlic cloves in cold water. Bring to the boil, then drain. Repeat twice more and set aside.
Cut the French beans into small pieces. Blanch in boiling water for a few minutes until soft. Drain and throw into a hot frying pan with some olive oil. Add the shallot, chopped garlic and parsley.
Mix the 2 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar and Dijon mustard. Let down with a little water. Toss the green beans in the dressing.
To serve, stir the confit garlic cloves into the ox cheek sauce, then spoon the mushrooms, ox cheek, garlic and sauce onto a plate. Serve with the green beans and cooked new potatoes.