Braised Ox Cheek with Creamy Truffle & Porcini Polenta

Set your oven to 150°C fan/gas mark 2.

Take your ox cheeks, trimming off any pieces of silver skin or sinew. Cut the cheeks so they are roughly halved. Season with salt and pepper and sear in a hot pan with a little vegetable oil. Turn and continue to sear until golden brown on all sides.

Remove the cheeks from the pan and set aside. Add the chopped vegetables to the pan with the beef juices and cook on a medium heat for a few minutes, until the vegetables begin to brown. Add in the wine and beef stock, bring to a boil and then return the seared cheeks back to the pan. The cheeks should be 3 quarters submerged, so add a little water if needed. Cover the pot with a lid or tightly wrapped in foil and put in the oven, for 3 and a half to 4 hours. They should have a little give when you squeeze them, but not be soft enough for you to easily shred. Bear in mind that as they rest in the cooking liquor, they will become even more tender.

Once cooked, remove the lid or foil, and let the pan sit at room temperature for a good 30 to 40 minutes. After this time, remove the cheeks from the liquor and set to one side. Strain the cooking liquor through a sieve to remove the vegetables and add the stock to a pan, reducing until it can coat the back of a spoon. Return the cheeks to the reduced glaze and set aside until ready to plate.

Pour the milk into a small saucepan and add the dried mushrooms, garlic, thyme and butter. Gently heat the milk but do not boil. It should be warm enough to slightly evaporate, but not bubble. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.

Pass the infused milk through a sieve and return to the saucepan. Whilst whisking, add the polenta bit by bit, keeping the saucepan on a low heat and whisking regularly to avoid the polenta sticking. The polenta will thicken after a few minutes but will continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes. You’ll notice that it starts to become much smoother the longer you cook it, but if it does become too dry or stodgy, add a little water to loosen it. You're looking for the consistency of thick porridge.

Finish with freshly grated parmesan, and a tablespoon of truffle oil and season to taste.

To finish the dish, heat the cheeks in the glaze for a few minutes, basting them as the stock continues to reduce, being careful not to reduce the sauce too much or burn the pan. If you have them, finish the dish with a few fresh porcini mushrooms (or another meaty mushroom variety), pan-fried in butter.

Spoon your polenta onto plates creating a base for your dish, add the cheeks with glaze, top with the mushrooms and sprinkle a few freshly picked thyme leaves to add a bit of freshness to a very hearty dish.