There are dishes that transcend time without ever losing their modernity. Beef cheek is one of them. Long relegated to humbler tables, it has now become a symbol of bistro cuisine , the kind that elevates the product through time and skill.
The Recipe taken from the excellent “Simplement bistro” by Yves Camdeborde, is inspirational.
INGREDIENTS Serves 4 to 6 people
2 trimmed beef cheeks
4 sliced carrots
1 sliced onion
100g diced bacon
A bottle of red wine
50g softened butter
50g dark chocolate (I used 74% cocoa)
50g flour
peanut oil
salt and pepper –
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 150C°
Cut the beef cheeks in half or into quarters.
In a cast iron casserole dish with a lid, brown the cheek pieces with 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Sear them quickly, season, and remove them.
In the same casserole dish, gently sweat the carrots, onion, and bacon for 5 minutes. Add the beef cheeks and sprinkle with 25g of flour. Mix everything together and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the red wine and add enough water to cover the beef cheeks. Bring to a boil, cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil, and seal tightly with the lid. Bake for 3 hours.
In a bowl, mix 50g of softened butter with 25g of flour. Set aside.
Remove the casserole dish from the oven, let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes, and remove 250 ml of the cooking liquid. In a saucepan, on the edge of the stove, gradually whisk the flour and butter mixture into the 250 ml of liquid, then pour this mixture over the casserole. Add the chocolate, stirring gently. Bring to a gentle simmer.
When ready to serve, check the seasoning and serve directly from the casserole dish.
Serve with creamy pureed Potatoes.
Original Recipe: Simplement bistro” by Yves Camdeborde
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