Ingredients

6 ox cheeks, cut in half
200 ml olive oil
3 onions, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground juniper berries
1 teaspoon ground star anise
1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ bunch sage, leaves picked and chopped
1 bay leaf
80 g tomato paste
1.5 litre red wine
Salt and cracked black pepper

Roasted Parsnip

3 parsnips
100 ml olive oil
Salt and cracked black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced).

2. Trim the ox cheeks of any sinew and gristle. Heat 50 ml of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole dish over medium heat and sear the cheeks in batches until dark in colour. Remove to a plate or tray.

3. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same pan, then add the onion, celery, carrot, spices, garlic, sage and bay leaf and cook until very rich in colour. Add the tomato paste and cook for a further 5 minutes, making sure to stir often so that it doesn’t catch.

4. Return the beef to the pan, pour in the red wine and add enough water to cover. Stir well. Season with a little salt and pepper and cover. Bake for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

5. Remove from the oven, then transfer the meat to a plate and leave it to rest for a few minutes. Using a fine strainer and the back of a ladle, push the vegetables through the strainer back into the liquid to thicken the sauce. Return the meat back to the thickened sauce and gently reheat if necessary.

6. For the parsnips, peel and cut them into 5 x 2 cm batons. Place them in a roasting tray and coat with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for about 30 minutes or until tender.

7. To serve, spoon the cheek onto a plate and cover with some sauce. Place the parsnips around the cheek and serve immediately.