Ox cheek and shiitake mushroom stew (GAPS)

Rich stew on a bed of vegetable spaghetti

I'm addicted to this ox cheek stew, it is so-ho-ho nice, just melts in the mouth with a rich taste. There is no other meat part I can compare this soft, juicy, flavorful piece of flesh to. Oh boy, but it does not let you have him easy. You will need a seriously sharp knife to prepare it, I mean SERIOUSLY sharp, or you will end up doing some hard muscle work sweating all over your chopping board. With a freshly sharpened knife it is a work of a magic fairy. For this recipe I added fresh shiitake mushrooms, a light touch of earthy flavour and velvety texture to the already fantastic dish.

You will need (feeds 3 to 4):
600 g ox cheek
3 medium onions
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 plump garlic cloves
1 cm fresh ginger
0.5 cm fresh turmeric
150 g fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 + 2 ladle bone broth
good pinch of coarse Himalayan rock salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 spaghetti squash
1 tbsp coconut oil

1. In a cast iron casserole melt the coconut oil. Add the thinly sliced onions. Cook on low heat for 10 to 15 mins, until nice and soft, and lightly coloured.
2. Add the thinly sliced garlic, ginger and turmeric. Cook for 3 to 4 mins, until aromas are released.
3. Add the ox cheeks sliced into bite sized pieces. Cover with a lid and let it sweat out the juice. Cook for 10 to 12 mins.
4. Add the 2 or 3 ladles of bone broth to cover the meat. Put the lid back on, bring to boil, then reduce to minimum and braise slow and long, for 30 to 45 mins.
5. Wash the spaghetti squash and cut in half, lengthwise. Spoon out the seeds (save them for a lovely snack), spread the coconut oil on the inside of the squash. Arrange squash halves on a baking tray cut side down. Put the tray into a preheated oven and bake at 180 C for about 35 to 45 mins.
6. Rinse the shiitake mushrooms, slice them up, then add to the ox cheek stew, add the remaining bone broth. Cover with the lid, bring to boil again, then reduce the heat to minimum and cook for another 15 to 30 mins, depending on your preference of the texture of the mushroom.
7. When the bone broth has reduced and the gravy has thickened, season with salt a black pepper.
8. Take the squash out of the oven, and loosen the flesh with a fork, it falls away in strands like spaghetti.
9. Divide the vegetable spaghetti between plates and top with the juicy meat and mushroom stew. Enjoy!

[i] For more GAPS recipe ideas please visit my GAPS recipes selection.