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Beef Cheek Daube with Fennel and Rum

Start this recipe the day before

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 1 fennel bulb chopped
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3/4 c dark rum
  • 6 c red wine
  • zest of one lemon and one orange peeled into strips
  • 1.5 kg beef cheeks cut into 3cm pieces
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 80 g unsalted butter
  • 8 small eschalots peeled left whole
  • 250 g bacon cut into 3cm batons
  • 300 g small button mushrooms
  • 2 1/2 tbs tomato paste
  • 1/4 c plain flour
  • 3 c good-quality beef stock
  • 1/2 bunch tarragon finely chopped
  • mash to serve

Method
 

  1. Combine onion, carrot, fennel, cinnamon, garlic, bay leaves, run, wine, citrus zest and beef in a bowel, Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours - ideally overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 160°c. Strain beef mixture, reserving marinade, beef and vegetable mixture separately. Bring marinade to the boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, skimming impurities from the surface. Strain through a fine sieve.
  3. Heat half oil and half butter in a large heavy-based flameproof casserole over high heat. In batches, sear beef, stirring and tossing frequently, for 5-6 minutes until browned, set aside. Add remaining oil and butter with eschalots, bacon and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 mins until vegetables have softened. Add reserved vegetables and cook, stirring for 4-5 mins until veg begins to soften.
  4. Add tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, then stir in flour.
  5. Return meat to the pan with marinade and stock, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon. Bring to the boil, cover and braise in oven for 2 to 2½ hours or until meat is tender.
  6. Skim fat from surface of beef pan. Strain, returning liquid to pan and set aside beef and vegetables in a bowl. Return pan to medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes to reduce and thicken sauce. Return beef to the sauce with tarragon and return to a simmer.
  7. Serve with mashed potato.

Notes

Source: From June 2020 Delicious Magazine (The Chef & The Butcher)