Slow cooked beef cheeks

Cook off the alcohol before marinating: alcohol would cook the surface of the meat and keep it from absorbing the marinade.

Bring the red wine to a boil, ignite, then add the chopped onions, carrots, leek, garlic and bouquet garni. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

Put the beef cheeks (and a couple of short ribs if wished) in a large pot or container, add the marinade, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Separate the vegetables from the meat and pat the meat dry, which is needed for the Maillard reaction.

Heat a large Dutch oven with a good drizzle of grapeseed oil, salt the bottom, and sear the meat 3 to 5 minutes per side on medium-high heat, in batches.

Brown the vegetables and tomato paste the same way; return the vegetables to the bowl.

Arrange the meat in the pot, top with the vegetables, add the wine from the marinade and the veal or beef stock, and season with ground black pepper.

Bring to a boil, cover and cook slowly in the oven at 300F / 150C for four hours.

Turn off the oven and leave the pot in it overnight; resting lets the cooking liquid be reabsorbed into the meat.

Discard the solids, transfer the meat to a tray and sieve the cooking liquid.

Put the meat under a press and refrigerate overnight, or freeze 3 hours, before cutting into even portions.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and skim off the fat that rises; let it go about an hour to cook down.

Trim and cut the chilled cheeks into 5 oz (150 g) portions.

To store, vacuum seal the portions with or without some sauce; refrigerate up to a week or freeze.

Reheat and serve with mashed potatoes, onion marmalade and semi-confit tomatoes.