I am really enjoying cooking beef cheeks this season at Vinnies, they have proved to be the hottest-selling item on our winter menu. This recipe is a great way to enjoy beef cheeks at home and a perfect way to cook any cheap cut of beef. If you can’t find cheeks, try using chuck or blade steak, thick flank, topside or oxtail. To get the ultimate flavour out of this dish it is best to cook the beef a day in advance.
Click here for the how to on fresh egg pasta.
Winter braised beef
| 3 Tbsp | Canola oil |
| 2 tsp | Salt |
| 800 g | Braising beef steak, diced (Main) |
| 2 slices | Bacon, diced |
| 1 | Onion, diced |
| 2 sticks | Celery, diced |
| ½ | Carrots, peeled and diced |
| 1 cup | Red wine |
| 3 cups | Beef stock |
| 1 sprig | Fresh rosemary, small |
| 4 sprigs | Thyme |
| 300 g | Pasta, (fresh egg pasta) see link above for recipe (Main) |
Spiced carrot creme
| 2 | Carrots, peeled and diced |
| 3 Tbsp | Butter |
| 3 cups | Water |
| 1 tsp | Salt |
| 2 | Cloves, whole |
| ½ stick | Cinnamon |
| ½ tsp | Mixed spice |
Directions
- Heat oven to 140C. Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot, season the beef with salt and cook in batches until beef is caramelised all over. Remove to a dish and set aside.
- In the same pan fry bacon until crispy, add vegetables and cook until golden. Place beef, bacon, vegetables, wine, stock and herbs into a casserole dish. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 3 hours.
- Allow beef to cool then drain off cooking juices into a pot. Bring to the boil and reduce down to a thick gravy (jus) consistency. Flake the meat apart then mix with 2 Tbsp of the beef jus.
- Roll pasta into thin sheets, cut 8 rectangles 10cm x 8cm. Cook for 6 minutes in a large pot of simmering water with 2 tsp each of salt and olive oil. Carefully lift pasta rectangles out and lay flat on a lightly oiled tray.
- Spoon beef mix on to each rectangle and roll to form the cannelloni; trim with a knife if necessary. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes. Serve with hot spiced carrot crème and braised beef jus.
Spiced carrot crème
Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and reserve cooking liquor on the side. Remove clove and cinnamon from carrots and blend in a food processor to form a smooth puree. Add extra cooking liquor if necessary. Strain puree through a fine sieve and serve hot.
