can't cook, won't cook

I love Sundays. In our household, Sundays usually mean a delicious home-cooked meal and a great bottle of wine from the rack. As ordinary as this sounds, it’s not. 

A few months ago we bought this handsome-looking 12-bottle wine rack from a charming little shop in Islington, and filled it up with some beauties. I mean, we’re not talking 2005 Château Lafite Rothchild kind of standard here (far from it), but they’re certainly not the Tesco’s Finest kind, let’s put it that way. The rule was that we were only allowed one from ‘the rack’ on special occasions. But, as it turns out, we don’t come across many of those, so Sundays have become our special occasions instead. 

Luckily for me, nowadays, my home-cooked meals are prepared by one hell of a cook. I’m not being biased (ok, maybe just a little) - there have been days when things have gone wrong - but some of the best food I’ve ever eaten have come from this compact kitchen in this very ordinary central London apartment. 

You see, my cook actually cooks for a living. So imagine my Sunday dinners; they’re like being on a chef’s table, but rather than being restricted to a tasting menu, I get to choose what I eat. Jealous? 

Girls are often the ones who cook at home, not necessarily because they’re better; that’s just the way things have panned out. But if you were me, would you want to? Particularly if you were certain that your best ever, tried and tested recipes would in no way match the chef’s? So for the past fourteen months that we have been together, I have not once cooked for him. Not even an egg. 

However, my luck has run out. The chef has insisted that I cook for him once in a while. I told him that I couldn’t. Because truthfully - omelettes and spaghetti bolognese aside - I really don’t know much about cooking, and being one of the most impatient people I know definitely hasn’t helped.  

He put forward a very valid point that someone who loves to eat; (and who is always so readily equipped with opinions about other people’s food) should at least know the basics of cooking. So, in an attempt to combat my fears, he has offered to teach me. Lesson one took place last Sunday and first dish up was braised shin of beef with polenta and pickled beetroot. 

The beef was deliciously rich, melt-in-the-mouth soft, while the polenta perfectly smooth and creamy, and the sharp beetroot, with a hint of natural sweetness, was a refreshing contrast. It was the perfect Sunday plate, and as it happens, not as complicated as it sounds. Not only did I learn how to cook, I also learnt how to wait 24 hours for my food. Two birds; one stone... success. 


Ingredients:

Braised beef

1 kg shin of beef - cut into 2 inch pieces 

2/3 bottle red wine

1/3 bottle red Port

3 carrots - peeled and cut into small pieces

2 onions - peeled and cut into small pieces 

1/3 celeriac - peeled and cut into small pieces 

a sprig of thyme

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

4 juniper berries

2 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

1.5 litres beef stock

Beetroot

6 fresh beetroot

salt

ground black pepper

olive oil

a splash of red wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar 

Polenta

125 g pre-cooked polenta

500 ml chicken stock 

500 ml milk

25 g butter

25 g grated parmesan cheese

1. Place all the ingredients apart from the beef stock into a stainless steel or glass container, and marinate for 12 hours. Take out the beef and strain the marinade in a colander placed over a saucepan. Pat the beef dry with kitchen towel, season well and sear in a hot pan with a little olive oil until golden. Remove the beef from the pan and place on a plate.

2. In a separate casserole, add a little olive oil, the drained vegetables and the spices. Cook for five minutes until lightly golden. Then add the meat followed by the marinade. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the red wine and port reduces by half. Add the beef stock and bring up to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid and place in the oven at 180°C for four hours.

3. Take a piece of aluminium foil, place the beetroot in the centre, season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil; then wrap up and place on a baking tray. Cook in the oven for two hours. After two hours, check whether it’s cooked by inserting a small knife into the beetroot. If it slides in easily, it’s ready. Place the cooked beetroot in a glass bowl and cover with cling film. Once cooled down, peel off the skin using your hands, and cut into segments. Place in a bowl, add the sugar, vinegar, olive oil and season.

4. Once the beef is cooked, take out of the oven, carefully remove the pieces of meat and place in a clean pan. Strain half of the cooking liquid through a sieve on to the beef. Place the pan on the heat and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 minutes, constantly basting the meat with the juice, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and keep warm. 

5. To cook the polenta, pour the chicken stock and milk into the pan, bring to boil and whisk in the polenta. Cook for 10 minutes until it starts to thicken; add the butter and parmesan, season to taste.

6. Once plated up, finish with a dollop of horseradish.