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Veal Cheeks Cooked in Red Wine with La Serena Mashed Potatoes 

October 2014

Serves: 4  

 

For the veal cheeks: 

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled and crushed 

10 veal cheeks, cleaned  

5 cups Spanish red wine, such as a Rioja  

1 Spanish onion, peeled and coarsely chopped  

1 leek, peeled of its outer leaves, trimmed and coarsely chopped  

1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped  

3 sprigs rosemary  

4 sprigs  thyme  

1 cinnamon stick  

3 teaspoons sugar  

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, preferably José Andrés Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Salt, to taste  

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste  

All-purpose flour, as needed 

Veal stock, as needed 

Fresh Chervil sprigs, for garnish 

 

In a mixing bowl, combine the veal cheeks with the wine, garlic, onion, leeks, carrots, rosemary, thyme and cinnamon stick. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.     

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.  

Strain the mixture, collecting the wine in a bowl. Set aside the wine and separate the vegetables and herbs from the veal. Pat the veal dry with some paper towel.  

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar and the wine. Cook until the wine reduces by half, about 1 minute. Skim off any foam that appears on the surface. Set aside.   

Drain the vegetables well and set the herbs and cinnamon aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and cook until they are soft and golden, about 5 minutes.  

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Season the veal with salt and pepper, and dip both sides of veal cheeks in some flour. Shake off any excess flour and place the veal pieces in the pan. Brown the veal on each side for around 1 to 2 minutes. Set on paper towel to drain.  

Put the sautéed vegetables and reserved herbs and cinnamon stick in a deep roasting pan. Place the veal pieces on top, without overlapping. Pour the reduced wine-sugar mixture on top. Add enough veal stock to cover. Place aluminum foil on top of the pan and press down so it makes contact with the veal cheeks. Place in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours, until the meat is tender.  

Remove the veal from the oven once tender. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the veal pieces and set on a plate. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, collecting it in a bowl. Discard the vegetables and herbs. Let the sauce rest for 5 minutes to allow the fat to separate. Skim off the fat with a spoon.   

 

For the potatoes: 

1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks  

½ cup heavy cream  

3 ounces La Serena cheese, rind removed and cut into small cubes  

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably José Andrés Extra Virgin Olive Oil  

Salt, to taste  

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the potatoes, and boil until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and pass through a ricer, or mash by hand, to create a smooth purée.  

In a small pan, heat the cream to a boiling point and then add to the mashed potatoes. Mix with a wooden spoon until the cream is thoroughly incorporated into the purée. Mix in the cheese cubes vigorously with a wooden spoon, until the cheese melts into the puree. Little by little, add most of the oil until well-incorporated.  

To serve, place the veal cheeks and the strained sauce in a saucepan and warm over low heat, allowing the sauce to gently thicken. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place a spoonful of mashed potatoes on the center of the plate. Place two veal cheeks on top and spoon warm sauce over the veal and potatoes. Garnish with fresh chervil sprigs.