Boeuf à l'Indienne

I've gone a bit crazy for beef cheeks!
To be honest, I'm never buying 'bourguinonne' beef again - steak pieces, or whatever you may call them! The simple truth is that:

• No piece of beef has given me that 'melt in your mouth' satisfaction that beef cheeks have and
• I can cook them in my new toy next time I'm in the west - in my slow cooker and 
• I have about 8 kilos of them waiting for me in the butcher's freezer in Carrick on Shannon and am desperately trying to come up with recipes (my butcher got a bit carried away!)

During the Christmas break I made a traditional Beef Bourguinonne and used them cut in chunks - easy, perfect and very tasty served with mashed potatoes to mop up all that lovely sauce ;)

Today, a tad more adventurous, along with a better equipped kitchen and ingredients press, I prepared Beouf à l'Indienne whichi will be served up tomorrow night - I started this morning, left the beef simmering in the Rayburn all afternoon, have just added some creamed coconut and will leave all overnight so that the flavours will develop beautifully.

Bœuf à l’Indienne (serves 6)

1.5 kilos Ox cheeks, in chunks

1 kilo carrots, sliced

1 red onion, chopped

olive oil

2 tablespoons Tandoori paste
2 cloves

1 tablespoon flour

Bouquet Garni

salt/pepper

Water

Creamed Coconut

Heat the olive oil in a large pot and fry the meat in batches to seal the flavours.

Add the onion, flour, cloves and the Tandoori paste and cook for a minute before covering with water.

Add the carrots, the Bouquet Garni and cover with water.

Bring to boil, cover and simmer on the stove or in a moderate oven for at least 3 hours.

Add the creamed coconut and leave overnight (time permitting)

Serve with Basmati Rice, Nan bread, Poppadoms.....

Beef Cheeks