INGREDIENTS
1.5kg Ox Cheeks, 2 whole carrots peeled and roughly chopped, 2 whole onions peeled and roughly chopped, 1 head of celery chopped, 1 head of garlic peeled, 1 bottle (750ml) red wine, 100g plain flour, 1 small spice bag containing star anise, 2/3 whole cloves, teaspoon allspice, zest of one orange, teaspoon black peppercorns (if you don't have the materials to make a spice bag, you can use a coffee filter tied with cotton), 1 small faggot of herbs (thyme, rosemary and bay), 100g tomato paste or puree, 5ml honey, 2 litres chicken stock, 2 litres beef stock, 50g beef bouillon, salt and pepper.
METHOD
- Cover the ox cheeks with the wine and refrigerate overnight or as long as possible.
- Pre-heat oven to 160°C
- Remove the ox cheeks and pat dry, put the wine into an oven safe pan or dutch oven and reduce by half.
- Add the stock to the wine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Heat the dripping in a pan, combine the flour and salt and pepper in a bowl and coat the ox cheeks before frying in the dripping until browned all over.
- Add the ox cheeks to the simmering stock.
- Fry the vegetables (add some more dripping if necessary) until golden and add to the stock.
- Add the spice bag and faggot of herbs and place in the pre-heated oven for 3 hours.
- Remove from oven, drain the stock into a pan and leave the ox cheeks to cool.
- Reduce the stock over a medium heat until thickened to desired consistency, skimming the surface constantly. Carve or separate the meat roughly and crush the vegetables with your fingers.
- Add the meat and vegetables to the thickened sauce and season to taste
