Slow-cooked beef cheek with red wine and hatcho miso

serves / 4

3 tbsp olive oil

1 kg beef cheek, fatty membranes trimmed off, cut into 5–7cm pieces

1 large onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, sliced

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped 1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp plain flour

1 litre (4 cups) red wine

2–3 bay leaves, fresh or dried 2–3 thyme sprigs

2 tbsp hatcho (very dark) miso 2 tbsp thickened cream, to serve

1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, to serve 1. Preheat the oven to 150C. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large cast-iron stockpot over a high heat. Sear the beef cheek on each side for 3–5 minutes, until nicely browned. Put the beef cheek on a plate and loosely cover it with foil to keep warm.

3. Reduce the heat to medium– high and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the carrot and celery and saute for another 5 minutes, until soft.

4. Return the beef and its juices to the pot and stir well. Season with salt and pepper, then add the tomato paste and stir well. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the beef and stir it in.

5. Pour the wine into a separate saucepan and bring it to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.

6. Pour the wine in with the beef and simmer over a high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid thickens. Add the bay leaves and thyme, and check and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

7. Make an otoshi-buta (drop lid) out of baking paper and place it on top of the ingredients in the pot. Put the pot in the oven and cook for 1½ hours. Add the hatcho miso and stir gently, then cook for another 30 minutes, until the beef is very tender.

8. Finish each bowl of stew with a little cream and some parsley. Serve with steamed vegetables. The beef is even more enjoyable if you let it sit overnight and eat the next day.

The recipes on this page are from Cibi by Meg and Zenta Tanaka, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $50, and is available in stores nationally.