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Nerthus' Ale Braised Beef Shanks with Cauliflower Leek Purée

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 beef shank slices each about 2 inches thick
  • flour as needed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil plus extra as needed
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 355 ml can ale
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 5-6 sprigs fresh thyme tied in a bundle
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus extra as needed
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 3-4 carrots diced
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water

Cauliflower Leek Purée

  • 1 large head cauliflower
  • 2 leeks
  • 3 tbsp butter divided
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • kosher salt as needed
  • pepper as needed

Instructions

  • If your beef shanks aren’t trimmed and tied, you will need to do that. Use a sharp knife to remove any connective tissue and fat around the outside edge of each shank. Use twine to tie around each shank tightly. Pat the shanks dry and lightly dust with flour on all sides.
  • Heat the olive oil in a braiser or wide dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the beef shanks and sear until browned on one side. Flip the beef and brown the other side. Remove the beef to a plate and set aside. Add a bit more olive oil to the braiser if it looks dry and then add the onions. Turn down the heat and sauté the onions until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • When the onions are soft and beginning to brown, add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Deglaze the braiser with the ale. Bring the ale to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the brown sugar, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper to the braiser along with the beef broth. Return the shanks to the braiser along with any juices that have accumulated.
  • Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover and turn down to low. Cook the shanks on a very low simmer for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until very tender. Add the carrots to the beef after 1 ½ hours. The beef shanks are done when they are falling apart. If they still feel tight when probed, then continue cooking until they are tender.

Cauliflower Leek Purée

  • Separate the cauliflower into florets and add to a steamer basket. Steam the cauliflower until fully cooked. To prepare the leeks, cut off the dark leaves and discard. Cut the leek in half and wash well between the layers. Remove the root end and cut the leek into a small dice.
  • Heat 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook slowly until very tender. Try not to brown the leeks which could affect the colour of the purée. While the vegetables are cooking, warm the remaining butter and cream in a small pot.
  • Transfer the cooked cauliflower and leeks to a food processor or high speed blender. Add the cream mixture and blend until completely smooth. Stop periodically to scrape down the sides of the processor. Continue blending until the leeks are fully pureed. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Set aside.

Finish the beef

  • When the shanks are fully cooked, carefully remove them from the braising liquid. Skim off any fat from the liquid and bring to a boil. Let the liquid reduce by about a third. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Mix the cornstarch with water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the braising liquid and simmer until thickened.
  • Cut the strings from the shanks and transfer the beef along with the sauce to a serving dish. Serve with the cauliflower leek purée. Enjoy!