Slow Cooked Beef Ragu, Red Wine and Creamy Polenta

Serves 4

Time 2 hours

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1.5kg beef brisket, cut into 4 pieces

2-3 pinch sea salt and cracked black pepper

1 onion, chopped

1 stick celery, chopped

400g bacon, cubed

2 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 punnet large mushrooms

4 sprigs thyme

500ml red wine

400ml beef bone broth or stock

250ml tomato passata

¼ cup red wine vinegar

Creamy polenta

1 litre beef or vegetable stock

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

400gms polenta

250g butter

1 handful parsley

1 handful chives

To Serve:

Parmesan, finely grated

Method

Preheat oven to 160C

Season beef with salt and pepper. In a medium to high non-stick fry pan place beef skin side down. Season underside of the beef with salt and pepper. Pour a drizzle of olive oil into the pan and rotate sides of beef until golden.

Meanwhile, chop vegetables and herbs. Add bacon in with the beef.

In another fry pan, place a drizzle of olive oil with carrots, celery, mushroom, thyme, salt and pepper.

Once the beef is cooked and the bacon has caramelised, transfer to the vegetable pan. Pour over red wine and red wine vinegar. Next, add the tomato passata and bone broth. Place lid on pot and place into the oven for around 2 hours.

While the ragu is cooking in the oven, prepare your polenta. Add onion, garlic to a pot and sweat off with butter. Next, add stock and bring to the boil. Rain in polenta whilst continually whisking. Transfer to new gas top on a low heat and stir through until polenta thickens. Mix through butter and fresh herbs.

Remove ragu from oven.

Dish polenta onto plate with beef ragu in the centre. Top with fresh herbs and cheese. Serve.