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SOUTH WALES
Chef Matt Powell's Oxtail recipe
Slow braised Ty-Talgarth Organics' oxtail, potato puree and oxtail juices (dandelion, bittercress and melting bone marrow salad) is a truly mouth-watering dish to try at home.
Slow braised beef oxtail is great at this time of year. The salad included is optional but could also be served on its own as a starter. For the simple beef stock I have put a recipe up on my website at www.chefmattpowell.co.uk for anyone wishing to try it. You can make up batches and keep it in the freezer for use in other recipes. The potato puree can also be prepared the day before.
I buy my beef main cuts and offal cuts locally from Ty-Talgarth Organics in Nantymoel - please see my website for a link to the main farm shop. They also have a new butcher's shop in Bridgend on Nolton Street.
INGREDIENTS (FOR 4 PEOPLE)
5kg organic oxtail/shin of beef
Seasoned flour for dredging
100g plain flour
Plenty of sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
TO FRY OFF THE OXTAIL
Rapeseed oil
FOR THE MARINADE
1 bottle of good red wine
2 capfuls of red wine vinegar (I add this as the strong tannins help to break down the collagen in red meat and adds a nice sharpness to cut through the rich meat)
4 medium sized carrots
3 large leeks
The inner part of 1 celery
12 medium sized shallots - all cut to the same size
BOUQUET GARNI
4 bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Peppercorns
Tie this up in a piece of muslin cloth
TO FINISH
Reduced beef stock (see my website) Juices from the oxtail marinade
Method
Bring the marinade to boil and flame the wine to burn off the alcohol then leave to cool right down.
Pour this marinade onto the meat in a suitable container and leave to marinade for 12 hours. Pass the juices into a clean pan through a fine sieve and separate the meat from the vegetables and the herbs.
Dry the meat off with a piece of kitchen paper. Now dredge lightly in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Heat a pan with a little oil and caramelise the pieces gently in the pan until you have a nice even colour all over. Take the pieces out of the pan and place them onto another piece of clean paper towel to remove excess oil. Lightly season the meat again.
Again, clean out the pan and now caramelise the vegetables gently in a little more oil. Gently bring the wine marinade to the boil, skimming the top of any unwanted bits, then pass through muslin or a fine sieve
. In a large casserole dish or tray, place the meat and then the vegetables and bouquet garni on top, followed by the marinade and the reduced beef stock.
Season each layer gently as you go, with salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Place the covered dish in the oven at gas mark 4/175°C for about 5 hours or until the meat is falling apart.
When the meat is ready, pass everything through a fine sieve to separate the meat from the vegetables and juices and then pass the braising juices through muslin again. Skim all the fat off the top and put these juices on to boil to reduce down to a glaze.
Leave the oxtail to cool slightly and you will now have to take the meat off the oxtails and place in a separate bowl and mix with the still hot vegetables. Pass the juices onto the meat and vegetables and gently heat them. Serve with the potato puree, and optional salad.
FOR THE SALAD
40 nice leaves of dandelion
40 nice sprigs of wild bittercress
4 large pieces and 5 additional small pieces of beef marrow fat (I use only from organic reared animals)
FOR THE DRESSING (OPTIONAL)
50ml beef reduction
10ml aged balsamic vinegar (I use a 50 year old vinegar)
30ml rapeseed oil
Pinch of sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Method
Set grill to high. Gently reduce the beef reduction down by another half. Take off the heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Whisk the rapeseed oil in just to break up the liquids.
Just as you are ready to serve the dish, quickly flash the pieces of marrowfat to heat and soften the fat. Season the dressing to taste with the sea salt and black pepper and dot around the leaves and marrowfat.
POTATO PUREE
If you wish, you can pass the potato onto a double layer of cling film and when it's cooled you can roll it up and put it into the fridge the morning before or even the day before you are going to serve the oxtail. You can then finish with the cream, milk and butter closer to the time you are serving the whole dish.
INGREDIENTS
4 large Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes
100ml double cream
50ml full fat milk
100g un-salted butter
Sea salt
Ground white pepper
Method
Set the oven to gas mark 5/190°C.
Bake the potatoes on a tray slowly until they are soft in the middle. Take them out of the oven and leave to cool a little. Take off the skins and quickly push the potato through a fine sieve.
While you are getting on with pushing the potato through the sieve, gently heat the double cream, full fat milk and un-salted butter. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
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