BRAISED BEEF CHEEKS WITH LOBSTER MUSHROOMS

Braised Beef Cheeks with Lobster Mushrooms image

With this dish you can turn an inexpensive, underutilized cut of beef into a succulent, tender, soul-satisfying stew; once it's in the oven, you need do nothing but enjoy the amazing aromas that fill your house. (Do plan your time accordingly, though, as it spends at least five hours in the oven.) This dish, like any stew, is best made a day ahead but is fine served the same day. It's great served atop soft polenta or horseradish-spiked mashed potatoes. Leftovers make a wonderful rustic pasta sauce, as well. A large Dutch oven is best for making this, but a wide-bottomed stock pot with a tight-fitting lid works, too. Just make sure it fits in your oven!

Yield SERVES 4 TO 6

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

4 cups beef stock (or low-sodium broth)
3 1/2 to 4 pounds beef cheeks, trimmed of glands and silver skin and cut into 3-inch chunks (see Note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
2 medium onions, coarsely diced
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 small or 1 large celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
8 bushy sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
16 small cloves garlic, peeled (or 8 large-cut them in half or thirds lengthwise and remove any green germ)
1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine (one that is hearty but not too tannic, such as Côtes du Rhône)
1/2 to 3/4 pound lobster mushrooms (or any other variety)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1/4 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Steps:

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 250°F.
Heat the beef stock in a medium pan over low heat and keep warm.
Season the beef cheeks with 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper, and sprinkle the flour evenly all over.
Put a large Dutch oven or wide-bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and enough of the beef chunks to make a roomy single layer in the pan. Cook, turning the beef as needed, until browned all over, about 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with the remaining beef, working in batches as necessary and adding another tablespoon or so of oil if the pot seems too dry.
Add 2 tablespoons more olive oil to the pan, then add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan, until they start to soften and are barely brown on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery root, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the celery root starts to soften, about 6 minutes.
Return the beef and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Stir well for another minute or so to combine.
Add the wine and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the warm stock; once the liquid has returned to a simmer, cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
Bake for 4 hours, checking every hour to make sure the liquid is at a bare simmer. (The key to tenderness is to cook at the lowest temperature possible. If the broth is simmering rapidly, reduce the oven temperature.)
After 4 hours, remove the lid and stir. The stew should be very wet; if not, add a cup or so of water to reliquify. Return the uncovered pot to the oven. Continue to bake until the beef is completely tender and offers no resistance when you pull it apart with two forks, 1 to 2 more hours. If the beef is tender but the liquid has not reduced much, continue to bake until the liquid is 3/4 to 1 inch lower than the original level. Taste the liquid and season with more salt as needed.
When the beef is done, set aside while you cook the mushrooms.
(If you make this a day ahead, let cool to room temperature before you cover and refrigerate the cheeks. When ready to serve, reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently until heated through, 30 to 45 minutes.)
Using a small knife, scrape any dirt off of the mushrooms. If they are particularly large, cut them into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces.
Put 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet (it should be large enough to hold the mushrooms in a single layer) and put the pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and bubbling, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms' juices have released and evaporated. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the shallot and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and continue sautéing for an additional minute. Add the vinegar and stir until the liquid evaporates. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange the beef in shallow bowls and ladle some of the braising liquid over it. Top with the sautéed mushrooms.
You may need to special order beef cheeks (a specialty butcher is your best bet), but you can substitute with brisket if you can't find cheeks. The glands are marble-size organs that are attached to the cheeks (they may already have been removed from the ones you have).