Photo Mark Moriarty
Beef cheeks: 2, trimmed and sinew removed
Onion: 2 halved
Garlic: 2 cloves, crushed
Carrots: 1, roughly chopped
Button mushrooms: 6
Tarragon: 1 sprig
Butter: 20g
Guinness: 500ml
Orange juice: 100ml, fresh
Beef stock: 1.5 L, reduced, or beef demi glace
Onion: 20g, crispy
Chives: 20g, chopped
Horseradish: 20g
Floury potatoes: 6
Kosher salt: 100g
Irish cream: 200ml
Irish milk: 200ml
Irish butter: 500g
Heat a heavy-based cast iron pot, add some oil and begin to brown the beef cheeks all over.
Now add the onion, garlic, carrots and mushrooms, allow to colour.
Add the butter to increase the browning of the meat, the more colour achieved here, the better the final flavour of the braise.
Drain off any excess fat, then add the Guinness and orange juice, reduce by half. Now add the demi-glace and tarragon. Make sure the cheeks are completely covered. Place a lid on the pot.
Cook in a preheated oven at 130c for 2 hours until tender.
Remove the cheeks from the braise, pass the liquid into a separate pan.
Add the cheeks to this pan and reduce the stock over high heat, basting the cheeks until a thick sticky glaze is achieved.
Finish the glazed cheeks by adding Maldon salt, crispy onion, chives and grated horseradish.
Place the potatoes on a bed of salt on a tray. Bake at 200c for 1 hour in a preheated oven.
Add the milk and cream together and heat in a small saucepan.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut in half and press through a fine sieve or potato mouli, leaving the skins behind.
Place the potato pulp in a pot on the heat and add the cream/milk in stages. Finally, add the diced cold butter until a shiny mash is achieved.
Season and serve warm.
