On evenings like this week's, when I've come in from the cold and wet, I long to put my bum up against the AGA to warm up. My modern Beckenham kitchen isn't quite as comforting as the cosy Norfolk one, however.
I have wanted to write this recipe up here on my blog since I cooked it for guests a couple of weeks ago, a perfect kitchen supper.
This is such an archetypal AGA recipe as after the intial boiling plate sear, the whole braise goes into the simmering oven for 4 hours while you walk the dog and pop to Waitrose for rhubarb for the crumble pudding. Served with mash it's even less effort to eat though I did reach for some broccoli as my celeriac mash was a little too pallid. NB I do not claim any ownership of this recipe.
Buy one beef cheek for every two people. I bought three, intending to freeze the casserole but people had seconds and there was none left.
Cut the fat off the cheeks and put in your cassole dish on the boiling plate. The idea is that this fat will be rendered down but I still used a bit of oil. The beauty of the AGA for this dish is that the boiling plate is as hot as Hell, so you get a proper brown Maillard reaction very quickly, which is essential for the taste as well as the presentation.
So, sear the beef cheeks on both sides one by one if necessary - it won't take long at all. Remove them to a bowl while you add a couple of sticks of celery, a carrot or two and onion, all chopped up and a clove of garlic. You may need a bit more oil. Stir as the veg softens. Then add 500ml of red wine and some beef stock to the pan and return the beef cheeks to join the veg. As some sprigs of fresh thyme and a couple of bayleaves. Pop on the lid and stick in the searing oven while you go off and do other things.
After 4 hours, remove pan from oven. Remove cheeks from pan and keep warm. Remove the bay leaves and the thyme twigs and then whizz the sauce in a blender, return to the pan and bubble to reduce it. Strain into a hot gravy boat.
Serve it all up and enjoy. Could not be more easy than that.
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