Part of our Holiday Pairing Feast
Pair with our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Yield: Serves 4-6
Beef Cheeks
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
1.5kg/3lb beef cheeks, (4 large or 6 small beef cheeks)
1 onion (white, brown or yellow), roughly diced (about 1 cup)
1 celery stalk, roughly diced (about 1 cup)
1 carrot, roughly diced (about ¾ cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 stems of fresh thyme or 1½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 dried bay leaves (or 3 fresh bay leaves)
1 cup beef stock
2 cups red wine (full bodied eg. cabernet sauvignon or merlot)
3 teaspoons salt, separated
Black pepper
Method:
Prepare the beef cheeks: cut off any large, fatty membrane. Pat dry then season each side with 1 tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Heat 2 tbls canola oil in a large casserole dish with a lid if you are baking or pot if you are cooking on the stove) over high heat. Sear the beef cheeks on each side until nicely browned. If your pan is not large enough, work in batches rather than crowding the pan. Remove beef cheeks onto a plate, loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Turn down the heat to medium high and heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add garlic, onion and carrots. Sauté for 3 minutes until onion is becoming translucent, then add the celery and sauté for a further 3 minutes.
Pour the wine into the pot / casserole dish (with the onion mixture) and stir to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Bring wine to simmer for 1 minute.
Add remaining ingredients (including 2 tsp salt).
Put lid on and cook on the stove on medium low for 2 to 2½ hours or in the oven at 320F for 3 to 3½ hours until the cheeks are very tender. Turn at least once during cooking.
Open the pot/casserole dish and remove the beef cheeks. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves.
Use a handheld stick blender to puree the braising liquid into a smooth Sauce – it will change from a dark brown to a lighter brown color.
Bring the sauce to simmer over medium heat and simmer until it turns a darker brown color and reduces by about ¼ to ⅓, to a gravy consistency – about 3 to 5 minutes.
Season to taste.
Remove from heat, return beef cheeks to the sauce, cool.
Foraged Mushrooms
Ingredients:
2lbs assorted mushrooms
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Method:
Set oven to 400 degrees
Toss the mushrooms and remaining ingredients with 1/8 cup olive oil.
Spread on cookie sheet, roast for 10 minutes, cool.
Chard
Ingredients:
2 bunches of Swiss chard
Method:
Set oven to 400 degrees
Rinse chard and pat dry.
Finely chop the stems and toss in olive oil.
Rough chop the remaining chard and toss with a little olive oil.
Spread both out on a cookie sheet and roast for 12 minutes.
Cool.
Assembly:
1 package of puff pastry
1 egg beaten with 2 tbls water
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out pastry on a floured surface, until 1/8 inch thick, and into a 12 x12 inch square.
At the bottom of the square of pastry, make a line of chard about two inches wide, and three inches above pastry edge. Top chard with mushrooms. Top mushrooms with beef cheeks.
Take the exposed edge of the pastry and lift above the beef cheeks. Carefully roll the pastry to for a log- seal by brushing with the beaten egg.
Set the log onto a baking sheet. Brush liberally with the egg mixture, and generously sprinkle with Parmesan.
Bake the Wellington in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve with your favorite horseradish cream.
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