Seasonal Recipe
Each season, Chef Richard Ptacnik will provide you with a recipe of one of his delicious menu items.
AUTUMN 2011
GUANCIA DI MANZO CON PUREA DI CAVOLFIORE
BEEF CHEEKS SLOWLY BRAISED IN MARSALA WITH CAULIFLOWER PUREE, GRAPE SALSA AND HAZELNUTS
| INGREDIENTS 4 250ml 1 1 1 stick 1 1 litre ½ bunch |
(serves 4) Beef cheeks Marsala Carrot (diced) Brown onion (diced) Celery (diced) Leek (diced) Veal stock (500ml for braising/500ml for reheating the cooked cheeks) Thyme Rosemary Garlic (smashed) Black peppercorns Bay leaf |
GRAPE SALSA 100g 1 10ml 20ml 1 |
Black seedless grapes Eschallot Cabernet Sauvignon Vinegar Hazelnut oil bunch Chives |
| CAULIFLOWER PUREE | TO GARNISH | ||
| 2 heads 500ml 500ml |
Cauliflower Milk Cream |
1 punnet 50g |
Baby Parsley Hazelnuts (roasted, peeled and halved) Salt Crushed Black pepper |
METHOD
Heat a large pot until smoking. Add a little oil and seal the beef cheeks on both sides. Remove the cheeks once golden and keep aside.
To the same pot add the carrots, onion, celery and leek in that order making sure to make each golden brown before adding the next. Add the thyme, rosemary, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf and cook until you can smell the aromas of the herbs. Place the beef cheeks back in the pot and add the marsala, reduce by two thirds. Cover the cheeks with veal stock and bring to the boil, once boiling turn down to a low simmer and cook for about three hours. Make sure to skim any fat from the top every 15minutes.
Once the beef cheeks are tender remove from the pot and allow to cool. Strain the stock through a fine chinois and place back on the stove, reduce to make a sauce.
While the beef cheeks are cooking start preparing the cauliflower puree. Cut the florets from the cauliflower and place into a pot, cover with both the cream and milk and place on the stove. Cook gently until tender, strain the liquid and place the cooked cauliflower in the blender (make sure to keep a little bit of the liquid to add to the puree if too thick) blitz until smooth, season with salt and pass through a sieve.
For the grape salsa, quarter the grapes and place in a bowl, add to it a finely brunoised eschallot, finely chopped chives, cabernet sauvignon vinegar and hazelnut oil.
Once the sauce is reduced, strain through muslin cloth and keep hot in a saucepan. Place the cooked beef cheeks in the remaining veal stock and leave on a simmer until hot. Remove the beef cheeks from the stock and place them in the sauce, baste the beef cheeks until glossy.
Place a spoon full of puree on a plate and put the beef cheek next it, spoon some sauce over the top. Add the salsa on top of the beef cheek and on top of the salsa put the hazelnuts. Finish with salt and pepper, a little baby parsley and some hazelnut oil. Serve immediately.
