Braised Beef Cheeks

Preheat oven to 180ºC (160º fan-forced). Pat beef dry with paper towel and place in a large snap lock bag. Add flour, season and toss to coat.

Heat half the oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Cook beef for 3-4 minutes, in batches, if necessary, until browned. Set beef aside on a plate. Add remaining oil to same dish and cook onion, garlic, carrot and celery for 3-4 minutes. Add passata, stock, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil and return beef to dish. Remove from heat, cover surface with a circle of baking paper and cover with a lid.

Cook in oven for 2¼ -2½ hours or until tender. Season to taste, remove and discard bay leaves and thyme stalks.

Serve beef cheeks with steamed vegetables and polenta. Sprinkle with parsley.