I am in Victoria for the week visiting family, and it makes talking of winter nights in Cairns seem a bit comical – it’s freezing here, and I’ve got everything rugged up. Nonetheless, we do have our own version of winter, and I still do crave those wintry dishes. I recently put together the dish below, and it is great winter fare – lush, flavoursome and comforting.

Beef cheeks with mandarin and prunes

1.8 to 2kg beef cheeks

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon smoky paprika

6-7 whole red shallots, peeled

1 head garlic, peeled

2/3 of the skin of 1 large mandarin

1 1/2 cups pitted prunes

2 teaspoon flaky salt

1 bottle cabernet merlot, flamed

1 bottle (750ml) sugo/passata (plain Italian tomato sauce)

a little water to cover if needed

1 bay leaf

flour, salt and pepper to dust beef

olive oil to brown beef

Season a cup or so of plain flour well with salt and fresh ground black pepper, dust beef in the seasoned flour and brown in the heated olive oil over a medium heat until well browned. Remove beef cheeks to slow cooker, pour off most of the remaining oil then add the wine and heat then flambe. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker, set on low and cook for 6 – 6/12 hours.

VARIATION

Substitute 3 cups black sapote pulp and 1/2 cup lemon juice for either the sugo or the red wine.

serves 6-8 people

© Clare Richards 2010