BEEF CHEEK WITH BLACK CHARCOAL FETTUCINI, GREMOLATA AND TRUFFLE OIL

Norka Mella Munoz is head chef at Wharekauhau Estate in the Wairarapa and held the title of Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chef from 2020 through to the end of 2021. Her upmarket slow cooked beef cheek fettuccine is a classic pasta dish. Deliciously rich and tender fall apart beef is served with black charcoal fettuccine and garnished with gremolata, truffle oil, and a parmesan wafer.

 Serves 4

 For the beef cheeks:
2 x beef cheeks
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 stick of celery, finely chopped
100 ml red wine
500ml beef or vegetable stock

Seal the beef cheeks in a hot pan and cover with the wine, stock, onion, garlic and celery.  Slow cook in the oven at 150C for three hours.  Remove the beef cheeks and allow to rest for until cold.

For the fettucine:
200g white flour or 180g flour and 20g black charcoal (food grade available from health shops) optional
Pinch of salt
2 whole eggs and 1 egg yoke
1 tbsp of oil

Whisk dry ingredients together and make a whole in the middle.  Mix in the eggs and oil and knead the dough until it is soft and even in texture.  Not too wet and not sticking to hands.  It should spring back when you touch it.  Rest for half an hour wrapped in glad wrap.

Roll out the pasta and cut into fettucine.  Cook fresh past in boiled salted water for 30 seconds.

 For the gremolata:
Zest of 2 lemons
1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
100g parmesan, finely grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together to make the gremolata to sprinkle on top.

To serve:
Place a portion of fettucine on the plate and top with slices of beef cheek.  Top with a sprinkle of the gremolata and a parmesan wafer.