Creative Block 5 with Cape-style slow braised oxtail in red wine
Ingredients
45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil
About 2 kg oxtail, cut into chunks by your butcher
Salt and pepper, to taste
250 g streaky bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped into rough chunks
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly diced
3-4 large celery sticks, chopped into rough chunks
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced 250ml
1 cup good quality dry red wine
1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
30 ml (2 tablespoons) tomato purée
500 ml (2 cups) good quality beef stock/broth
1 stick cinnamon
1 ml (¼ teaspoon) ground cloves
For the gremolata and to serve:
A generous bunch of parsley (20-40g), finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1-2 lemons
1 garlic clove, finely grated or finely chopped
Freshly cooked pap, rice, potatoes or pasta to serve (choose your favourite)
Method
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium-high heat and fry the oxtail on at least two sides until lightly brown, working in batches. Season with salt and pepper as you go, and don't overcrowd the pot. Transfer the browned meat batches to a large plate, then stir the bacon, onion, carrot and celery. Cover the pot with a lid for a few minutes, allowing steam to loosen the browned bits on the bottom, and stir well. Continue to fry the bacon and vegetables for about 7-10 minutes, or until the bacon starts to brown and the onions soften. Add the garlic and stir. By now, there should be a new brown sticky residue on the bottom – that's perfect. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the pot. Add the tomatoes, purée, stock, cinnamon and cloves, stir and bring to a simmer. Return the meat to the pot, arranging it in a single layer to immerse the chunks in the liquid fully. Turn the heat to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook for about 4 hours or until the meat is very tender and almost falls from the bone here and there (you don't want to cook it from the bone). Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Leave to rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot with your choice of starch and a sprinkle of gremolata.
For the gremolata:
Mix the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic together in a small bowl. If you prefer, leave it to stand on the counter for an hour or two to dry out slightly. Serve it at room temperature as a condiment with the stew.
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