Beef cheek with crisp polenta and warm Stinking Bishop
This richly flavoured dish includes a variety of powerful ingredients such as beef cheek and Stinking Bishop. Ideal as a showstopper main.
Ingredients
For the beef cheek
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 beef cheek
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 heads garlic
- 150ml/5fl oz red wine
- 500ml/18fl oz beef stock
- 15g/½oz unsalted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the crisp polenta
- 250g/9oz solid set polenta, plus extra loose polenta for dusting
- 100ml/3½fl oz full-fat milk
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Stinking Bishop
- 50ml/2fl oz double cream
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 salsify stick, peeled and cut into pieces
- 3 spring onions, chopped
- 1 whole Stinking Bishop
Method
For the beef cheek, heat the oil in a casserole. Season the beef cheek with salt and pepper. Brown the cheek all over in the casserole and remove from the pan. Add the onion, carrots and celery and fry until browned. Add the tomato purée, herbs, garlic and red wine and cook until reduced. Add the stock, bring to the boil and then add the cheek back into the casserole. Cook for 3 hours or until tender. Strain the liquid into a small saucepan and cook until reduced. Set aside the beef cheek and keep warm. Stir or whisk the butter into the red wine sauce. Keep the sauce warm.
For the crisp polenta, place the loose polenta on a plate and pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Tear the set polenta into irregular chunks, dip into the milk and then into the polenta. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the polenta until crisp and golden. Keep warm.
For the stinking bishop, heat the cream in a small saucepan until warm and add the thyme. Fry the salsify in a frying pan until golden. Add the spring onions to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes.
To serve, scatter the crisp polenta on a serving plate and add the salsify and spring onions. Spoon over some Stinking Bishop and add the beef cheek. Spoon over the red wine sauce and serve.
