On the weekend, while no one (including me) was looking, Cooker and a Looker turned two. I went back to my first ever post to check the exact date; the post was vanilla braised beef cheeks and it was cringe worthy.
Re-reading my original post made it clear to me that my blogging style has changed in two years: I put down my iPhone and found my camera, I removed the stick from my arse I became comfortable writing on the internet. The recipe is a cracker and my post did not do it justice, so I decided to give it a birthday makeover.
Vanilla Braised Beef Cheeks
Ingredients:
6 beef cheeks
3 tbs plain flour, seasoned
2 tbs olive oil
20g butter
2 medium onions
2 carrots
4 garlic cloves, crushed
400ml dry red wine
500ml beef stock
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
⅓ cup brown sugar, tightly packed
2 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
Method:
Season the flour with salt and pepper and put into a plastic bag. Add the beef cheeks individually and toss them in the seasoned flour.
In a large ovenproof casserole dish, heat the oil and cook the cheeks, in batches, over medium heat until sealed (about two minutes per side). Remove the cheeks and keep warm.
Add the butter, garlic, chopped onion and carrot to the same pan and cook for a few minutes.
Add 250ml of the wine, the stock, vanilla, sugar and herbs. Bring to the boil for a moment, then return the beef to pan.
Place a circle of baking paper on the surface of the mixture and cover with a lid. Cook in a 180ºC oven for at least 2 hours. If blogging has taught me anything it’s doing it for longer makes it better. Once finished baking, remove beef, add the remaining red wine and reduce sauce over high heat for 2-3 minutes until reduced slightly. Season, then return beef to pan. Serve with cauliflower mash and green veggies.
Cauliflower Mash
Ingredients:
Cauliflower
Butter
Splash of milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method:
Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, break the cauliflower into florets and cook until soft.
Blend the cauliflower in a food processor, using the milk to achieve a mash consistency.
Add butter, salt and pepper to your own taste.
Just in case anyone thinks I'm being overdramatic about how bad my first photography was (and for a good laugh at my expense); here is my first post, side by side, with today's post.
Writing this blog and building this community over the past two years has been incredibly rewarding. Thank you for continuing to read it despite my dreadful photography and awkward attempts at storytelling. Blogging has filled a gap in my life that would otherwise have been spent watching bad TV and finding fault with my husband. On that note I’m sure that the blog has brought great happiness to Bearhands' life too!
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says
I must go back and read what you wrote with a stick up your bum, how uncomfortable that must have been!
thingsforboys says
Happy Blog Birthday!
BOYEATSWORLD says
Happy bloggy birthday lovely!
blahblahmagazine says
Happy blog birthday. You just reminded me that mine will be coming up at the end of the year. Where did the time go? What an awesome recipe, with or without the stick x
mumabulous says
Happy blog birthday - what a wild ride its been 😉
Sydney, Kids, Food + Travel says
Happy 2nd birthday. I think it's a great idea to redo old posts. I update lots of mine, some of my old photos are shocking and in my case sometimes the info has changed. Recipes are tops as they don't change in themselves, but some of my old ones need better pix. Now then, I need a beef recipe as I made a beef casserole last night which wasn't so great... I think the beef was too lean... needed a bit of fat and gristle.. and I need to practise!
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Agreed Seana - fat and connective tissue is what makes a slow cooked stew.
yinyangmother says
Happy 2nd birthday - and the recipe looks very yummy. Congrats and keep writing with good humour and hopefully no stick up your bum.
Talia says
Oh wow, I can't WAIT to try this!!!
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
Thanks Talia - keep me posted if you do?
Lauren @ Create bake make says
Happy Birthday! I've only been blogging for 9 months and already I look back on early posts and cringe :/
MrsD says
Happy Happy 2 honey. I don't think the first photo looked that bad actually!! Never had a beef cheek before but I might just have to try one (or two) xx
Alison says
Love the sound of this recipe... just curious to know why you add the baking paper over the top of the mixture?
Amanda, Cooker and a Looker says
I find that it helps stop the tops of the cheeks drying out Alison.
Bec | Mumma Tells says
Oh my word. Yum. Just yum. I'm a convert to cauli rice, and would you believe I've never actually mashed it? But now I'll have to try it!
Grace says
Happy, happy birthday bloggy birthday! And that cauliflower mash?! YUMMMM!