8 lb Oxtail, trimmed of fat; cut
-in 2" segments
2 c Onions; finely chopped
2 c Carrots; finely chopped
1/2 c Celery; chopped
1/2 c Red bell pepper; diced
1/2 c Green bell pepper; diced
3 cl Garlic; minced
3 ts Ground cumin
1 ts Ground coriander seed
2 Bay leaves
1/4 c Capers; rinsed
3 c Canned tomatoes with their
- juice; chopped
4 c Beef stock
1/2 c Fresh cilantro; chopped,
- for garnish
6 sl Garlic toast
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Put the oxtail in a high-sided roasting
pan and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning it once. Remove
it from the oven and pour off the rendered fat.
Distribute all the vegetables and spices - including the cumin,
coriander seed, bay leaves, and capers - around the oxtail. Pour
the tomatoes and beef stock over the oxtail with enough water to
cover. Place in the hot oven for 1 hour. Check every 15 to 20
minutes and stir with a spoon to break up any crust that forms
(add water if it seems dry).
After 1 hour reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue cooking
until the oxtail is done, about 1 hour more. Pull one large piece
of oxtail to check for doneness: The meat should fall from the
bone. Remove the oxtail from the sauce and skim off as much fat as
you can.
Let the oxtail cool and chill overnight in a container, covered
with the sauce. When cold, remove the layer of solidified fat on
the surface. To serve, slowly reheat the oxtail in the sauce and
stir in the chopped cilantro. Serve the oxtail in bowls, the sauce
spooned over it, with garlic toast and sprigs of fresh cilantro.
Recipe by Paul O'Connell of Chez Henri's in Cambridge, MA.
