AuthorcrumbsLightly season the cheeks. Warm a splash of oil in a casserole dish and brown the cheeks all over. Remove from the pot and set aside.
In the same pan, add a little more oil and slowly cook the carrots, celery and onion until caramelised. Add the garlic and rosemary, cook for 2 more minutes and then add all the sherry.
Reduce the Pedro Ximénez over a medium heat by about three quarters and then add the stock and let this reduce to about a third of its original quantity. Check the seasoning. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2.
Pass the lot through a sieve, discarding the vegetables and reserving the liquid. Return the cheeks to the casserole dish, pour in the sauce and cover with the lid. Cook in the oven for 21⁄2-3 hours, until the cheeks are tender and ready to fall apart, and the sauce nice and glossy. If, after 3 hours, it isn’t, very carefully remove the cheeks, reduce the sauce to a glossy consistency on the hob, and then return the cheeks to the pan.
For the turnip tops, separate the leaves from the stalks. Blanch the stalks in boiling water for roughly 3 minutes, until they’re tender but still with bite – you don’t want to cook out that bitterness – then add the leaves for 30 seconds before draining. Toss with butter and salt.
Plate up and sprinkle the chopped chives on top. I like to serve with proper mash, made with plenty of cream and butter.
Ingredients
Directions
Lightly season the cheeks. Warm a splash of oil in a casserole dish and brown the cheeks all over. Remove from the pot and set aside.
In the same pan, add a little more oil and slowly cook the carrots, celery and onion until caramelised. Add the garlic and rosemary, cook for 2 more minutes and then add all the sherry.
Reduce the Pedro Ximénez over a medium heat by about three quarters and then add the stock and let this reduce to about a third of its original quantity. Check the seasoning. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2.
Pass the lot through a sieve, discarding the vegetables and reserving the liquid. Return the cheeks to the casserole dish, pour in the sauce and cover with the lid. Cook in the oven for 21⁄2-3 hours, until the cheeks are tender and ready to fall apart, and the sauce nice and glossy. If, after 3 hours, it isn’t, very carefully remove the cheeks, reduce the sauce to a glossy consistency on the hob, and then return the cheeks to the pan.
For the turnip tops, separate the leaves from the stalks. Blanch the stalks in boiling water for roughly 3 minutes, until they’re tender but still with bite – you don’t want to cook out that bitterness – then add the leaves for 30 seconds before draining. Toss with butter and salt.
Plate up and sprinkle the chopped chives on top. I like to serve with proper mash, made with plenty of cream and butter.
