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Pedro ximenez beef cheek

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Pedro Ximenez beef cheek.
Pedro Ximenez beef cheek.Marina Oliphant
Time:2 hours +Serves:about 8

These lesser cuts of beef are also great value to buy and, when teamed with the incredible winter vegetables available, all bases are covered. Except for the final important decision: which red to open.

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Ingredients

  • 3kg beef cheeks

  • 100ml olive oil

  • 2 brown onions, chopped

  • 1 whole head of garlic, split

  • 2 carrots, chopped

  • 1/4 bunch thyme

  • 3 fresh bay leaves

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 2 star anise

  • 1lt Pedro Ximenez sherry

  • 500ml red wine

  •  

Method

  1. Heat oven to 200C. Clean sinew from beef cheeks, season with sea salt and place cheeks on a baking tray. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes each side. Remove when well browned.

    In a heavy-based pot, heat olive oil and caramelise onion, garlic head and carrots. Add herbs and spices and cook for 3 minutes. Add sherry and wine, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

    Add browned cheeks, top up with 1 litre of water, cover with baking paper and a lid, then simmer for 3 hours or until tender. The cheeks should be tender but firm enough to stay intact. To test this, squeeze the cheek - if it's soft but doesn't fall apart, it's ready.

    Remove cheeks from sauce and place in a small baking tray. Reduce sauce by half and pass through a sieve over cheeks.

    Serve with cauliflower puree - spoon some puree into the centre of a plate, place a cheek on the edge of the puree, then spoon a small amount of sauce over.

     

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