Name: Braised beef cheeks with creamed swede
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 230 min
Total time: 245 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 4 beef cheeks (about 250gm each); 3 onions, halved, thinly sliced lengthways; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 fresh bay leaves; 3 thyme sprigs; 375 ml red wine; 125 ml (½ cup) beef stock; Creamed swede; 3 swedes (about 1.1kg), coarsely chopped; 125 ml (½ cup) pouring cream, at room temperature

Braised beef cheeks with creamed swede

Cook them low and slow, and you'll be rewarded with beautiful fall-apart meat.

Loading the player...

Serves 4

Prep

15M

Cook

3H 50M

Total

4H 5M

Skip to Recipe

When cooked slowly, beef cheeks have the most beautiful gelatinous texture. Swede, not unlike parsnip, brings an earthy flavour to this dish.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

4 beef cheeks (about 250gm each)

3 onions, halved, thinly sliced lengthways

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 fresh bay leaves

3 thyme sprigs

375 ml red wine

125 ml (½ cup) beef stock

Creamed swede

3 swedes (about 1.1kg), coarsely chopped

125 ml (½ cup) pouring cream, at room temperature

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 150C. Heat oil in a flameproof casserole large enough to fit beef cheeks snugly. Add cheeks, cook over high heat until browned (3-5 minutes each side), then transfer to a plate. Add onion and garlic to casserole and sauté over low heat until starting to caramelise (8-10 minutes). Return cheeks to casserole, add herbs, red wine and stock, season to taste, then bring to a simmer. Cover, transfer to oven and cook until beef cheeks are tender (3-3½ hours).

2. Meanwhile, for creamed swede, place swede and enough water to cover in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat and cook until tender (25-30 minutes). Drain well, pulse in a food processor until smooth, return to saucepan, add cream and stir over medium heat until thick (1-2 minutes). Season to taste.

3.Divide creamed swede among serving plates, top each with a beef cheek, spoon over braising liquid and serve immediately.