Braised slices of beef neck with slowly caramelized onions and beet puree

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 6 slice(s) beef (beef neck) 200 g each
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 40 g butter
• 1 carrot(s), diced
• 1 onion(s), finely chopped
• 2 stalk(s) Celery, diced
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stalk of thyme
• 700 ml red wine, dry
• 600 ml beef stock
• 3 large onions
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g Teltower turnips
• 200 ml milk
• 200 ml water
• 40 ml crème fraîche
• salt and pepper
• nutmeg

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 4 hours; Total time approx. 4 hours 40 minutes

Pieces of braised beef with slowly caramelized onions and turnip purée

You’ll also need a silicone mat for the baking sheet. Season the beef neck slices with salt and pepper. If they’re very uneven, tie them together with kitchen string. Brown them vigorously on both sides in olive oil and set aside. Gently fry the carrot, onion, and celery cubes in the butter for ten minutes. Dust with a tablespoon of flour and toast briefly. Then add the peeled and crushed tomatoes, the bay leaf, and the thyme. Pour in the red wine and reduce by half. Then add the beef stock and braise, covered, in a preheated oven at 140°C for three hours. The meat should offer little resistance when pierced. Remove the beef neck slices and keep warm. Strain the sauce through a sieve, reduce again until smooth, and season with salt and pepper. Halve the unpeeled (!) onions crosswise, trimming off the tips and roots. Brush the cut surface with a little olive oil and place on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Add to the meat at the bottom of the oven and cook for two hours, checking occasionally to make sure the cut surfaces don’t burn. Peel and dice the turnips, then add enough milk and water to just cover them (if you like, you can also add a diced potato and lemon zest). Simmer for ten to fifteen minutes, until the turnips are tender. Then puree thoroughly with a hand blender and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. To serve, peel the skin off the onion halves, remove the core, and fill with the turnip puree. Place a slice of beef neck on top and cover with sauce.