OXTAIL SOUP
Serves six
- 1 EMH beef oxtail
- rapeseed oil
- 1 onion
- a thumb-sized piece of ginger
- 2 star anise
- a few strips of orange peel
- a large handful of shelled peanuts
- 1 lemongrass stalk
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
flavour paste:
- 100 g daikon
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- juice of half a lime
- 3 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 chilli pepper
- 1 pack of shimeji mushrooms or small button mushrooms
- coriander and mint leaves
to serve:
- spring onions
- chilli
- noodles
Cut the oxtail into pieces and brown in a pan with oil on all sides. Transfer to a pot, cover with cold water, adding an extra 3 cm of water above the meat. Bring to a slow boil and skim the foam. Meanwhile, cut the onion in half and slice the ginger, brown in a pan, then transfer to the pot. Cut the lemongrass into pieces, bruise with the back of a knife and add to the pot along with the star anise, peanuts and orange peel. Simmer gently for several hours until the meat falls off the bone.
For the flavour paste, grate the daikon, squeeze out excess moisture with your fingers, then add the soy sauce, lime juice, chopped chilli and toasted sesame seeds.
Remove the oxtail pieces from the pot and pick the meat off the bones. Strain the broth and season with fish sauce and lime juice. Add the mushrooms.
Place a spoonful of flavour paste in each bowl, add noodles and meat. Ladle the broth over, sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.
SOUTHERN-STYLE OXTAIL STEW
Serves four
- 6-8 EMH beef oxtail pieces
- flour
- cold-pressed olive oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 onions
- 3 medium carrots
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 3 celery stalks
- 200 g mango cubes
- 400 ml beef stock
- 400 ml dry red wine
- 1-2 habaneros
- a bunch of thyme
Peel the vegetables. Crush the garlic cloves flat with the back of a knife. Cut the onions into wedges and the carrots and celery into smaller pieces. Toss the oxtail pieces in flour. Heat oil in a pan and brown the oxtail on all sides, season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a casserole dish. Add the vegetables to the pan, brown lightly and transfer to the casserole. Pour in the stock and wine, add the thyme sprigs, mango cubes and habaneros. Place in a preheated 160-degree oven and cook for 4 hours or until the meat falls off the bone. Serve with mashed potatoes.
OXTAIL AND PEA SOUP
Serves six
broth:
- 1 kg EMH beef oxtail
- 2 onions
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1 carrot
- 1 parsnip
- 2 celery stalks
- sunflower oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp mixture of black peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 300 g dried peas
- 6 smaller potatoes
- 150 g EMH cold-smoked bacon
- 2 onions
- 2 carrots
to serve:
- flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- pickled red onion
Soak the peas in cold water overnight. Prepare the broth. Peel the carrot and parsnip, cut into pieces along with the celery stalks, cut the onions into wedges and the garlic bulb in half. Brown the oxtail pieces in a pan with oil, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a soup pot. Brown the vegetables and add to the oxtail. Cover with cold water so everything is well submerged, bring to a boil and skim the foam. Add the bay leaves and spices. Cover and let simmer as long as you can, but at least 6 hours. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed.
Rinse the peas under cold running water, pick out any empty shells. Strain the broth, pour back into the pot, add the peas and cook until soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and dice them. Peel the onions and carrots. Finely chop the onions and grate the carrots on a fine grater. Cut the bacon strips into small pieces. Heat a splash of oil in a pan, add the onions, carrots and bacon and fry on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Once the peas are cooked, add the potatoes, bring to a boil, then add the fried bacon and vegetable mixture. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Pick the meat off the bones and add to the soup. Sprinkle with parsley and onion when serving.
OXTAIL WITH BEANS
Serves four
- 1 kg EMH beef oxtail
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- cold-pressed olive oil
- 2 larger onions
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 chilli pepper
- a thumb-sized piece of ginger
- 3-4 allspice berries
- 4 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 500-600 ml beef stock
- 2 cans (400 g each) of beans of your choice
- spring onions, to serve
Heat oil in a pan, brown the oxtail on all sides, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a casserole dish. Peel the onion, garlic and ginger. Finely chop everything, add more oil to the pan if needed and fry the vegetables. Add the chilli, tomato paste and soy sauce, heat through, add the stock, bring to a boil and pour over the oxtail. Add the bay leaves, cover with a lid and place in a preheated 180-degree oven. Cook for 2.5 hours, then add the drained beans, stir, cover and let braise for another twenty minutes or so. Serve with spring onions and steamed rice.
