| "Beef cheeks?" I asked, staring at the menu. | | | | medium-to-large carrots4 stalks celery1 small |
| "What are beef cheeks?"I'm afraid that the | | | | onionThymeRosemary1 bay leafOlive |
| first time I encountered this item on a menu | | | | oilSaltCoarsely ground black pepperDirections |
| in a fancy Manhattan restaurant, I reacted | | | | 1. Roast beef bones in oven for about 15 |
| like the stereotypical dumb yokel come to the | | | | minutes.2. Mince 1 clove of garlic. Chop 2 |
| big city for the first time.That was a few | | | | carrots and 2 celery stalks. Place these with |
| years ago, and I've since learned that many | | | | the bay leaf into a large pot. Add enough |
| people (Texans, who don't like to let any | | | | water to cover well, and begin simmering.3. |
| part of a cow go to waste, come to mind) are | | | | Add the roasted beef bones and more water to |
| quite familiar with beef cheek. Also, that | | | | cover. Bring pot to a slow boil, cooking for |
| beef cheek means just that--the cheek part of | | | | 1 hour. Check periodically and add water as |
| a cow's head.The one I had that evening in | | | | necessary to keep liquid from boiling away.4. |
| New York was delicious, so I vowed to try | | | | Remove the beef bones and bay leaf from the |
| cooking it at home. At that time, though, it | | | | pot. What remains in the pot is your |
| wasn't easy to find beef cheeks in very many | | | | stock.5. Salt and pepper the beef cheek.6. |
| places, certainly not in the stores where I | | | | Chop the onion and the remaining carrots and |
| was then living. Nowadays it's somewhat | | | | celery, mince the remaining clove of garlic, |
| easier, and even the big discount club stores | | | | and saute all of these in olive oil with good |
| occasionally have them for sale.Beef cheek | | | | dashes of rosemary and thyme, until onion |
| can be quite tough, and many folks won't have | | | | turns translucent.7. Add the sauteed |
| the patience it takes to cook it as it should | | | | ingredients to the stock pot, stir |
| be cooked. But I promise that if you | | | | thoroughly, and then add in the beef cheek.8. |
| persevere, you will be rewarded with an | | | | Braise for at least 1 hour. Test with a |
| excellent dish of meat . In fact, you may | | | | fork to see if the beef is tender. If not, |
| find it to be among the "sweetest beef" | | | | continue braising until it is. Remember, |
| you've ever tasted.The most traditional way | | | | it's important that the beef cheek be quite |
| of cooking beef cheek is to braise it, | | | | tender before serving.9. Serve beef and stock |
| although I've seen it in all sorts of other | | | | together.Sarah Sandori is the food and |
| recipes. Here's a good braised beef cheeks | | | | entertaining columnist for the Solid Gold |
| recipe; note that it also calls for beef | | | | Info Writers Consortium. Have you ever |
| bones for making a stock.Ingredients Beef | | | | wanted to be able to exactly duplicate a |
| bonesBeef cheek2 cloves garlic4 | | | | favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? |