Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR BEEF CHEEKS
12 Beef cheeks, trimmed
250 ml Red wine
750 ml Beef stock
1 Sprig fresh rosemary
2 Onions, roughly chopped
INGREDIENTS FOR BUTTERNUT CONFIT
1 Small butternut, balled with melon baller
80 ml Butter
2 Sprigs of thyme, picked
INGREDIENTS FOR CARROTS
6 Coloured baby carrots
375 ml White wine vinegar
1 Chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
125 ml Hot water
INGREDIENTS FOR FOAM
300 g Reduced beef cheek jus
3 g Lechitin
INGREDIENTS FOR FRESH SALAD
125 ml Lemon juice
125 ml Olive oil
5 ml English mustard
Salt to taste
3 Baby fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
5 Radishes, thinly sliced
250 ml Pomegranate seeds
INGREDIENTS FOR KALE
10 Kale leaves
45 ml Coconut oil
60 ml Parmesan, grated
15 ml Salt
2 Cauliflower heads, broken into florets
60 ml Butter
125 ml Fresh cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
METHOD FOR BEEF CHEEKS
Put the beef cheeks, red wine, stock, rosemary, stock and onions a pressure cooker. Pressure cook for at least 40 min on high until tender. Remove and test tenderness. Set aside to serve. Strain the cooking liquid through cheesecloth, add to a pot and let it reduce down. Adjust the seasoning when 1/3 of the liquid is left. Set this aside for the foam.
METHOD FOR THE KALE
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Wash the kale and de stalk. Roughly chop the leaves smaller to resemble crisp shapes. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with coconut oil, sprinkle with the parmesan and salt. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes until crispy. Be careful, as it starts to brown very quickly.
METHOD FOR THE CAULIFLOWER
Melt the butter in the pan, add the cauliflower florets and fry until brown on both sides.
Add to a food processor and process till smooth, adding the cream slowly as you process, to get the right consistency. You might not use all the cream. Pass through a sieve to make sure it’s very smooth. Then adjust the seasoning.
METHOD FOR CARROTS
Clean the baby carrots and thinly slice into rounds with a mandolin.
Combine the pickle ingredients and place the carrots into the liquid, letting it cool down in the liquid. Let it stand for as long as possible to pickle properly.
METHOD FOR THE FENNEL SALAD
Mix the lemon, olive oil and mustard together. Adjust seasoning and balance of flavour and set aside for service.
Mandolin the radish & fennel into a bowl and set aside. Before service, add the vinaigrette and pomegranate seeds and mix well.
METHOD FOR BUTTERNUT CONFIT
Skin the butternut and cut enough balls with a melon baller to add 3 balls per plate. Add to a pot with the butter and thyme. Over a medium heat let the butternut balls slowly cook in the butter till cooked through but still al dente. Set aside for service
METHOD FOR THE FOAM
Work on a ratio of 100 g of liquid for 1 g of lecithin. Heat the jus just before service, add the lecithin and blend with a stick blender to shape the foam. Do this just before you serve the dish, so the foam can hold.
TO SERVE
Plate the cauliflower puree on the plate. Top with the beef cheeks (either 1 or 2 dependent on size). Place the butternut confit on the side, surrounding the plate with the carrot pickle and dishing the fresh salad on the side. Top with 2 shards of kale and top the beef cheek with the foam.