Braised beef cheeks with Jerusalem artichokes

Recipe for braised beef cheeks with Jerusalem artichokes

Preparation and cooking

• - Clean and chop leek finely.
• - Remove fat and skin from your beef cheeks.
• - Put 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, rosemary sprig and meat in a big pot.
• - Let meat fry slightly on all sides, on very low heat, some minutes.
  Remember to turn meat with wooden spoons without pricking with a fork.
• - At this point add chopped leek too and let all flavor, on very low heat, stirring leek often and turning your meat now and then.
• - Pour in wine, increase heat and bring to a boil.
  Wait for a some minutes, turn upside down meat and let all boil, some minutes.
• - Meanwhile bring to a boil 2 liters of water. Then pour into the pot.
  Season to taste with salt, reduce heat and continue cooking, half-covered, at least 3 hours.
  Hard to say how much time is really necessary. Many factors may come into play.
  The proof of the fork will confirm that your meat is cooked. Your fork should enter well. Very well, I would say :))
• - Add other boiling water, if necessary.
  If your meat should reach the right point of cooking when there is still much cooking liquid, remove beef cheek from pot and let cooking juice reduce well.
• - Half an hour before serving, clean Jerusalem artichokes, cut into little pieces and put in a non-stick frying pan with remaining olive oil. Let them cook on low heat, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  Once cooked, season to taste with salt.

Just before serving

• - Remove your meat from pot.
  Cut it into thick slices and put them again in your pot.
  Heat up, turning meat slices at least once.
• - Serve at once with warm Jerusalem artichokes as side dish.

Note

Tips

• - Prepare braised beef cheeks ahead but Jerusalem artichokes just before serving.
• - As you have seen, I do not use red wine for cooking. I prefer white wine for a more digestible dish. But I match red wine at table.

Menu planning

• - Braised cheek recipe is very simple, it only requires a long cooking. I generally do not add tomato. This allows me greater freedom of choice when I combine it to the other dishes of my menu. Meat menu, of course.
• - Prepare braised beef cheeks for your family menu too. Serve them accompanied by polenta if you do not like Jerusalem artichokes or with any seasonal vegetable you like.

Healthy eating

• - Nutrition facts of braised beef cheeks are well balanced. This is the reason why I suggest this dish for your family menu and your get-togethers.
• - Jerusalem artichoke are very special tubers, lumpy and with the strangest forms. Typically they should be brushed and not peeled. I sometimes peel them when it is really difficult to clean them thoroughly only with a brush.
  Remember Jerusalem artichokes are particularly suitable for people with high blood sugar. They are rich in fiber such as inulin. Inulin also encourages the re-balancing of the beneficial bacteria in the intestine (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) to the detriment of less useful bacteria.
• - Fiber per serving: 4.0 grams

Loretta

What's the right wine ?

Pair fantastic Italian Chianti (red wine from Tuscany) to braised beef cheeks!