Veal cheeks from the Dutch oven with root vegetables and mashed potatoes

Ingredients for 5 servings:

• 2 kg veal cheeks
• 1 tbsp juniper berries
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 organic orange(s)
• 1 organic lemon(s)
• 4 shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 carrots
• 150 g celeriac
• ½ cinnamon stick(s)
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 500 ml veal stock
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 ½ kg potatoes, mainly waxy
• 1 cup milk, lukewarm
• 125 g butter
• Salt
• nutmeg
• 3 carrots, orange
• 3 carrots, yellow
• 3 carrots, black
• 2 parsnips
• olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper
• nutmeg
• 4 stalks of parsley
• 1 organic lemon(s)
• 200 ml vegetable stock

Instructions

Working time approx. 2 hours; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 10 minutes; Total time approx. 16 hours 10 minutes

from the show “The Perfect Dinner” on VOX from 27.02.23

The day before, clean and chop the carrots, celery, shallots, and garlic cloves for the veal cheeks. Thinly peel the lemon and orange with a vegetable peeler. Lightly crush the juniper berries and peppercorns in a mortar. Place the veal cheeks in a bowl with the crushed peppercorns and juniper berries, orange and lemon peel, carrots, celery, garlic, cinnamon stick, rosemary, thyme, and shallots. Cover with the red wine and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, remove the veal cheeks from the marinade and pat dry. Pour the marinade through a sieve to separate the marinade and vegetables. Collect both and set aside. Fill 22 coconut briquettes for the Dutch oven into a chimney starter, light them, and let them simmer until they are all glowing nicely. Place all the briquettes under the Dutch oven to sear. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven, sear the veal cheeks on all sides, and then remove from the oven. Heat another 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the Dutch oven, roast the reserved vegetables from the marinade for 8-10 minutes until dark brown. Add tomato paste and roast for 1 minute. Deglaze with the reserved marinade, reduce slightly, and then top up with the veal stock. Add the veal cheeks to the Dutch oven, cover, and braise for 1:30-1:45 hours. Place 14 coconut briquettes on the bottom and 8 coconut briquettes on top of the Dutch oven. Turn the meat occasionally. For the root vegetables, peel the whole carrots and parsnips and cut into sticks. Peel the potatoes for the mash, quarter them if necessary, depending on the size of the potatoes, and cook in salted water until tender. Meanwhile, gently heat the olive oil in a shallow, wide saucepan and briefly sauté the root vegetables. Season with sugar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and simmer gently with the lid on for 8 minutes. Then simmer uncovered for another 6 minutes, until the liquid is almost completely evaporated. Drain and mash the potatoes. Add the butter and lukewarm milk and whisk until smooth. Season the mash with salt and nutmeg. Remove the veal cheeks from the Dutch oven, wrap them in aluminum foil, and keep warm in the oven at 70 degrees Celsius. Strain the cooking liquid from the Dutch oven through a fine sieve into a pot or pan and reduce slightly. Mix the cornstarch with a little cold water and add to the sauce to thicken it slightly. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Remove the veal cheeks from the aluminum foil and slice them. Arrange the root vegetables and veal cheeks on warmed plates with the mashed potatoes. Pour some of the sauce next to the mashed potatoes and over the veal cheeks. Grate some lemon zest over the root vegetables and sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley. Stefan prepared this recipe as a main course on Monday, February 27, 2023, on the show “The Perfect Dinner” – Day 1 from East Westphalia-Lippe.