Slow Cooked Beef Cheek Stew

I love this time of year, when winter finally begins to recede and we start to get those beautiful spring days where the sun gives that promise of times to come. Then you get those days where the sun goes on leave and the clouds take over the sky and rain threatens and you feel like winter will never end! This stew is for those days. It's a warm hug for your belly designed to get you over this last hump of winter before better times set in.

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 4 hours on high, 8 hours on low

Ingredients:

600g beef cheeks

Salt and pepper

1 brown onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp mixed dried Italian herbs (I used basil, parsley and oregano as it's all I had left!)

2 bay leaves

1 cup Shiraz

400g tin diced tomatoes

1 cup beef stock

2 carrots, peeled and diced

400g punnet cup mushrooms, sliced

40g bag spinach leaves

For the mash:

4 large creme gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks

30g butter

Milk

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed frying pan.

2. Season the beef cheeks with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove to the slow cooker.

3. Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the onion and garlic for two minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the dried herbs and bay leaves and stir to combine.

4. Pour in the Shiraz and leave it to reduce by half (about 5 minutes).

5. Add the tin of tomatoes and the beef stock and stir to combine. Bring it up to a simmer, then pour the sauce over the beef cheeks in the slow cooker.

6. I set my cooker to high, so it took 4 hours. At the 3 hour mark, remove the lid and add the carrots and mushrooms. I like to do this late so they retain a bit of bite.

7. When the beef has about half an hour remaining, put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil for 20 minutes or under tender when pierced with a fork. Drain, add butter and a splash of milk and mash, using more milk to loosen them up if needed.

8. When the beef is ready, remove the bay leaves and shred the meat with two forks. Add the spinach and stir it through. Serve the stew alongside the mash, season with salt and pepper and enjoy!