Featured Recipe: Ox Cheek Stew

• Cooking time: 5 Hours

This is one for serial carnivores. The ox cheek is complemented by smoky rich bacon & the deep flavours of a good red wine which bring the layors of flavour into perfect harmony

Ingredients

• 3 ox cheeks, trimmed of gristle & halved (purchase these from R & J Quality Butchers)
• 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 50g Butter
• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5tbsp tomato purée
• 1 bottle of good red wine
• 1½ tsp sea salt flakes

Method

• Preheat the oven to 150ºC/fan 130ºC/gas 2. In a flameproof casserole dish that will fit the wine & ox cheeks snugly & has a lid, melt the butter over a medium heat
• Roll the ox cheeks in the seasoned clour, then pat off any excess. When the butter sizzles, add the emat - it should sizzle as soon as it enters the casserole dish. Cook, turning, until well browned all over. (You may need to do this in batches.) Take care not to burn the butter
• Remove the meat & set aside. Add the lardons & fry until lightly coloured. Add the onions & the bay leaves & cook for 6-8minutes until the onions are just soft. Stir in the garlic, then the tomato purée. Stir occasionally until the purée starts to catch the bottom of the pan, then cook, stirring, for 3 minutes
• Add the wine, then return the meat to the casserole dish. Bring the stew to barely a simmer, then cover & put to the oven. Cook for 5 hours or until the cheeks are tender when prodded with a cutlery knife. Turn the cheeks occasionally during the cooking time
• Stir through the salt, then serve with mash & veg, if you like.