Recipe: Ox cheeks, potato terrine & caramelised onions

Serves 6

Ingredients

Potato terrine – 1 day in advance

Rooster potatoes – peeled and thinly sliced on a mandolin if possible

250g Melted butter

Thyme leaves

Salt

2 x baking tins – approx. the same size

Ox Cheeks

1kg Ox/ beef cheeks – trimmed & portioned

2 carrots – roughly chopped

2 onions – roughly chopped

2 celery sticks

2 x Sprigs Rosemary

3 x Cloves Garlic – Sliced

350ml Red win

Beef Stock (to cover)

Plain Flour

1 x Tbsp. Tomato paste

Vegetable oil

Salt

Caramelised Onions

3 x White onions – thinly sliced

Sherry Vinegar

Vegetable oil

Method

Pre heat oven – 170c/ 150c fan/ gas mark 3

Turn to 180c/160c fan/gas mark 4 for ox cheeks

Ideally this potato dish needs to be done 1 day in advance if you want the pressed effect – alternatively it can be scooped out after cooking.

First, place all the sliced potatoes, thyme leaves and a good seasoning of salt into a mixing bowl. Cover this with the butter until the potatoes are fully coated giving it all a good mix with your hands.

Next line deep baking tin with greaseproof paper and layer up the potatoes layer by layer until you reach the top. Pour in any remaining butter. Cover this with foil and bake for around 1hr 15 mins or until a knife easily goes through the potatoes.

Once cooked place a tray which is the same or similar size on top of the cooked potatoes. Place a heavy weight on top such as milk cartons or heavy tins – something that will push the layers together and chill overnight.

Once the potato terrine is fully chilled slice into pieces and pan fry until golden brown on each side.

For the onions, add these to a medium sized pan with a small amount of oil. Cook on a medium heat to begin, the turn to a low heat. Continue to cook until the onions are a dark brown in colour, stirring every now and again. If they start to catch on the bottom, add a splash of water. When fully caramelised add a splash of sherry vinegar to finish.

For the ox cheeks heat a small amount of oil in a medium sized saucepan. Season the cheeks well with salt and sear off the meat. Once coloured drain off the beef and set aside. In the same pan add the knob of butter and start to cook the vegetables, garlic and rosemary. Cook these for around 5-10 minutes on a medium heat. Now add the cheeks back to the pan along with a small amount of flour until all the ingredients pull together. Cook this for a further 2 minutes whilst stirring to cook out the flour. Add the red wine to the pan and cook on a medium heat until half of the liquid has reduced. Follow this by adding the tomato paste and cover with the beef stock.

Place this in an ovenproof dish if the one you’re using to start with isn’t and cook in the oven for around 3 hours – check after this time to ensure they are tender.

Serve with the potato terrine, caramelised onions and the cooking liqueur from the cheeks as the sauce

Gary Townsend is head chef at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin, Glasgow. See www.hotelduvin.com or phone 0141 378 0385 to book.

Twitter @Chefgtownsend

Instagram- @chef.g.townsend