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Half-cured beef daube

Jean-Christophe Novelli from Food Uncut
For a special occasion casserole with delectable flavour combinations, try Jean-Christophe Novelli's meaty dish enhanced with herbs, wine and a hint of orange

Half-cured beef daube

Method

1. Trim all the skin and fat from the meat. Cover with the salt and leave for 6 hours, turning regularly.

2. Rinse the meat, put in a large bowl, and add the vegetables and garlic. Pour in the wine, Madeira and port. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.

3. Remove the meat and vegetables, reserving the marinade. Pat the meat dry and dust in a little seasoned flour.

4. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based casserole pan and brown the meat all over. Add the vegetables and fry for a further 5 minutes, or until lightly coloured.

5. In a separate pan, boil up the marinade and skim away any impurities.

6. Add the marinade to the pan with the meat and vegetables. Stir in the belly pork, orange rind and herbs. Cook very slowly on top of the stove for 1 hour.

7. Preheat the oven to 160C/ gas 3.

8. Add the stock to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven for 4 hours. The beef is ready when it falls apart readily when a fork is inserted into it. Remove the meat from its cooking liquor and keep warm.

9. Strain the liquor through a fine sieve into a clean pan and boil until reduced to a syrupy consistency.

10. Stir in the butter and add the liquorice essence.

11. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce. This dish goes well with mashed potatoes or cauliflower puree.

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Serves: 4

Prep: 30 min, plus standing and marinating time
Cook: 5 hrs

Ingredients
4 ox cheeks, or 1 kg top rump or chuck beef
1kg rock salt
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
2 Onions, chopped
1 bulb Garlic, halved through the middle
500ml robust Red wine
250ml Madeira
250ml port
200g Acacia honey
3 Star anise
1-2 tbsp Flour
4-5 tbsp Olive oil
100g pork belly, chopped
1 orange, pared rind
4 sprigs Thyme
4 sprigs Rosemary
4 Bay leaves
1 litre beef stock
1 tsp Butter
2 tbsp liquorice concentrate, to taste
crisp-fried Pancetta, for the garnish
freshly ground salt and black pepper