Cheeky beef with polenta dumplings

This comforting slow-cooked beef cheek stew is the resourceful dish that came about from what was left over in Elise Kellond-Knight's fridge. Beef cheeks are slowly braised in red wine for 4 hours, making them beautifully tender and rich. Soak up the sauce with corn polenta dumplings which add a hearty, rustic finish to this dish.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  6 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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Ingredients

• 600-800 g beef cheek, cut into 3-4 cm pieces
• ¼ cup plain flour
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp picked rosemary leaves
• 6 thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1½ cups red wine
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ cups beef stock
• 1 carrot, cut into 1 cm rounds
• 1 parsnip, thinly sliced
• Roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

For the polenta dumplings

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• ½ cup instant polenta
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper
• ½ cup milk
• 50 g melted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 140˚C (fan-forced). In a large bowl, toss the beef pieces in plain flour.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add the beef and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat, then add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened. Add the herbs and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Pour in the wine, then add the sugar, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock. Bring to the boil, then stir through the carrots and parsnips. Cover with a lid and slow cook for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender, adding a splash of water to the pan if needed.
4. About half an hour before the beef is due to be done, make the dumplings. In a large bowl, combine the self-raising flour, polenta, parmesan and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, making a well in the centre. Add milk and butter and mix to a shaggy dough. Form into 8 balls, about 50 g each.
5. Increase the temperature of the oven to 160˚C (fan-forced). Drop polenta balls into the beef mixture and cook for last 20-30 minutes in the oven, with the lid on.
6. Once the polenta dumplings are cooked and the beef is tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.