Veal cheeks with boletus in cocotte

We are very happy to welcome Leticia, author of Revealing Flavors, to our blog. I discovered Leti in the last recipe contest that we organized, and I am happy that her recipes are now also part of our blog. It opens with a recipe that I am convinced that you will love: some delicious beef cheeks made in a cocotte , without many complications but taking advantage of all the flavor!

How cruel is the passage of time!! And I don't mean getting old... Whoa! I mean fashion: that one day you're so stupendous with your permanent teasing, your phosphorescent jumper with shoulder pads and your leg warmers (the latest trend in fashion, come on) and a few years later the ones who scream and laugh are your children when they see photos of you from that time in the family album...

Of course, if you want revenge, you have it easy. You just have to record your daughter telling you how ridiculous that fashion was, and remind her of her words some time later, when she is the one wearing those same outfits.

And it is that in a matter of fashions, everything comes back! And the same thing happens with food. There are recipes that suddenly become fashionable, and we see them at all times and in any place. And other recipes that are "from the bottom of the closet", those of a lifetime, that always look good and are suitable for any situation, such as the recipe that I bring you today, some cheeks with boletus.

Le Creuset cast iron cocotte , Serrano wild mushrooms and Pallarès carbon steel knife

If you have never tried the cheeks, I can only tell you to do it as soon as possible. Surely you will not regret it, since it is a soft, tasty and very juicy meat that melts in your mouth. We can find both pork and veal and they are the pieces of meat that are obtained from the "cheeks" of these animals.

The truth is that I can't think of a better way to prepare them than in one of the wonderful Le Creuset cocottes , over low heat, to get the authentic flavor of the stews of a lifetime. If alone, the cheeks, already seem to me a spectacular snack, imagine accompanied by some delicious boletus, which will allow us to enjoy all the flavors of autumn in the middle of spring.

Let's go for the recipe!

Ingredients

1 kg of beef cheeks
1 onion
2 peppers
1 leek
250ml of red wine
200ml of water
1 bottle of boletus in olive oil
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
15g butter

Preparation

If the butcher has not done it, we begin by cleaning the cheeks, removing the webs that cover them well, using a very sharp knife.

When we have the cheeks clean, we cover the bottom of the cocotte with olive oil, 3 or 4 tablespoons are enough, and we put it to heat over medium heat.

Meanwhile, season the cheeks with salt and pepper and flour them, shaking off the excess flour, and, once the oil is very hot, we put the cheeks in the cocotte and brown them for a few minutes on both sides, until a crust forms that seal them and prevent them from losing juices during cooking.

Once they are golden, we remove them from the cocotte and in the same oil we add the onion, the leeks and the finely chopped peppers.

Sauté for a few minutes and then add the wine, and with a spatula or wooden spoon, gently scrape the bottom of the cocotte to recover the juices and remains that have adhered to it and thus take full advantage of its flavor (deglaze).

Raise the heat so that the alcohol in the wine evaporates.

Return the cheeks to the cocotte, add the water and, once it bubbles, reduce the heat to a minimum, put the lid on the cocotte, and cook for approximately 2 and a half to 3 hours, turning the cheeks from time to time. from time to time, every 30 minutes or so, so that they do not cling to the bottom of the casserole.

Cooking time is approximate, as it may need a little longer. We will check if the meat is tender, and if not, leave it a little longer.

Once the cheeks are ready, we take them out to a plate and pass the sauce through the Chinese strainer, helping us with the pin, so that we have a very fine sauce and discarding the remains that remain in the strainer.

Return the sauce to the cocotte and cook for a few minutes over low heat so that the sauce reduces and thickens.

We correct the point of salt and add 1 tablespoon of butter so that the sauce is brighter.

Return the cheeks to the cocotte, add the boletus and, over low heat, let it boil all together so that the flavors are well permeated.

And to enjoy!!