This dish takes a while in the oven – but it’s worth the time! Prepared correctly, with lots of time and love to tenderise the connective tissue, you will be able to conjure up a real feast on the plate! It’s all in the spirit of “nose to tail”, or using the entire animal, and goes easy on the wallet. In keeping with the season, the Bäggli (cheeks from a calf’s head) are made with celeriac puree and glazed carrots.
(Photo: hurrah GmbH)
For the Bäggli
For the puree
For the carrots
Peel and roughly dice the carrots, celeriac and onions. Season the Bäggli, fry on all sides in the casserole, remove and set aside. Brown the diced vegetables and tomato purée in the casserole. Deglaze with red wine and add beef stock/stock. Add the Bäggli to the stock and place the casserole with the lid on in the fan oven at 150°C for 3 hours. Important: turn the meat every hour and baste with the sauce.
Peel the celeriac and potatoes and cut into large cubes. Simmer the cubes with milk, cream and the vanilla pod until very soft. Remove the vanilla pod then puree the potato and celeriac mixture. Season the puree and fold in the cold butter flakes.
Wash and peel the carrots and cut into bite-sized pieces. Steam the carrots with butter over medium heat. Season with sugar and salt and deglaze with vegetable stock. Cook with the lid on until almost soft. Season the carrots to taste, refine with a flake of butter and some chives.
Remove the casserole from the oven, carefully remove the Bäggli and put aside. Strain the stock through a sieve, reheat and flavour with port wine and chocolate. Return the Bäggli to the sauce, then serve whole with plenty of sauce.
Recipe source: new edition of the Suckler Cow Switzerland recipe brochure, launch end 2023