Gorgeous Ginger-Braised Ox Cheeks with Spiced Lentils and Watercress Yoghurt
I think it's safe to say that summer is well and truly over and the cold of autumn is starting to set in... but do not fear! For me, this symbolises the start of all the best food and the food that Great Britain does best - hearty soups and stews and roast dinners and proper puddings... I can't wait! T
o kick start, this season of deliciousness, I made an Indian spin on braised beef and mashed potato. This dish combines succulent ox cheeks cooked super slowly with heaps of aromatic spices with a vibrant garlicky red lentil purée, punchy sliced red onion and a cooling watercress yoghurt - to die for! Although it does require a bit of patience to make, the taste is well worth it - after all, the best things come to those who wait...
Gorgeous Ginger-Braised Ox Cheeks with Spiced Lentils and Watercress Yoghurt
Serves 4
300ml stout
4 star anise
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground ginger
2 large ox cheeks, about 400g each, cut in half and trimmed
rapeseed oil
2 onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
150g fresh root ginger, skin on and finely chopped
900ml beef stock
salt and pepper, to taste
For the spiced red lentils:
250g red lentils
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
800ml chicken stock
2 limes, juice only
For the watercress yoghurt:
bunch of watercress, finely chopped
200g plain yoghurt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
To serve:
1 red onion, sliced
chopped coriander leaves
One or two days before you plan to serve this, mix the stout, star anise, coriander and cumin sees, chilli flakes and ground ginger together in a large bowl. Add the ox cheeks, cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for at 24 hours.
The next day, preheat the oven to 140C/Gas Mark 1. Remove the ox cheeks from the marinade and pat dry with a tea towel or kitchen roll. Reserve the marinade. Heat about 4 tbsp rapeseed oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the ox cheeks and sear on both sides until they turn a lovely brown caramelised colour. Remove the ox cheeks from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions to the fat remaining in the pot, reduce the heat to low and fry, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 minutes until softened, but not coloured. Add a little extra oil to the pot, if necessary, then add the garlic, ginger and fry, stirring, for 4-5 minutes until they are browned but not burnt.
Return the ox cheeks to the pot, pour in the stout marinade and the beef stock and bring to the boil. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for about 3 and a half hours until the beef is very tender. Remove the pot from the oven and leave on one side for at least an hour. You can serve the dish at this point but it really does tastes even better if you leave the cheeks to cool in the covered pot for 24 hours. If you do decide to wait a day, once the beef and liquid are cool, transfer to the fridge.
Meanwhile, make the spiced red lentils. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4 and place the lentils into a roasting tray. Place the tray in the oven and toast for 10-15 minutes until they are just a little tinged. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the turmeric and chilli powder and stir for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils and the cinnamon stick, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and leave the lentils to simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally to make sure they don't catch on the base of the pan, for about 40 minutes until they fall apart and you have a purée in the pan. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Just before serving, mix the watercress, yoghurt and black pepper together. Reheat the ox cheeks and their cooking juices. Serve the ox cheeks with a little of the cooking juices, the red lentil purée, a good dollop of the watercress yoghurt and garnish with the onion slices and coriander.
o kick start, this season of deliciousness, I made an Indian spin on braised beef and mashed potato. This dish combines succulent ox cheeks cooked super slowly with heaps of aromatic spices with a vibrant garlicky red lentil purée, punchy sliced red onion and a cooling watercress yoghurt - to die for! Although it does require a bit of patience to make, the taste is well worth it - after all, the best things come to those who wait...
Gorgeous Ginger-Braised Ox Cheeks with Spiced Lentils and Watercress Yoghurt
Serves 4
300ml stout
4 star anise
2 tsp coriander seeds2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp ground ginger
2 large ox cheeks, about 400g each, cut in half and trimmed
rapeseed oil
2 onions, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
150g fresh root ginger, skin on and finely chopped
900ml beef stock
salt and pepper, to taste
For the spiced red lentils:
250g red lentils
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, grated
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 cinnamon stick
800ml chicken stock
2 limes, juice only
For the watercress yoghurt:
bunch of watercress, finely chopped
200g plain yoghurt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
To serve:
1 red onion, sliced
chopped coriander leaves
One or two days before you plan to serve this, mix the stout, star anise, coriander and cumin sees, chilli flakes and ground ginger together in a large bowl. Add the ox cheeks, cover with clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for at 24 hours.
The next day, preheat the oven to 140C/Gas Mark 1. Remove the ox cheeks from the marinade and pat dry with a tea towel or kitchen roll. Reserve the marinade. Heat about 4 tbsp rapeseed oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the ox cheeks and sear on both sides until they turn a lovely brown caramelised colour. Remove the ox cheeks from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions to the fat remaining in the pot, reduce the heat to low and fry, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 minutes until softened, but not coloured. Add a little extra oil to the pot, if necessary, then add the garlic, ginger and fry, stirring, for 4-5 minutes until they are browned but not burnt.
Return the ox cheeks to the pot, pour in the stout marinade and the beef stock and bring to the boil. Cover the pot and place it in the oven for about 3 and a half hours until the beef is very tender. Remove the pot from the oven and leave on one side for at least an hour. You can serve the dish at this point but it really does tastes even better if you leave the cheeks to cool in the covered pot for 24 hours. If you do decide to wait a day, once the beef and liquid are cool, transfer to the fridge.
Meanwhile, make the spiced red lentils. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4 and place the lentils into a roasting tray. Place the tray in the oven and toast for 10-15 minutes until they are just a little tinged. Remove the tray from the oven and set aside. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the turmeric and chilli powder and stir for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils and the cinnamon stick, then pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and leave the lentils to simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally to make sure they don't catch on the base of the pan, for about 40 minutes until they fall apart and you have a purée in the pan. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Just before serving, mix the watercress, yoghurt and black pepper together. Reheat the ox cheeks and their cooking juices. Serve the ox cheeks with a little of the cooking juices, the red lentil purée, a good dollop of the watercress yoghurt and garnish with the onion slices and coriander.
Npaemetdiubo Kathy Tate https://wakelet.com/wake/17Bh82oT0Rqua4WP5PfoH
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