Oxtail Soup

 

Oxtail Soup

Just the thought of a bowl of Oxtail Soup makes me salivate.  Recalling my childhood, I was blessed with a mother's great culinary skills.  She was raised on a farm and learned with her mother's guidance the art of homemaking. We enjoyed very diverse foods prepared so tastefully prepared, and oxtail soup was one treat!

Ingredients3 pounds oxtail, cut crosswise into 2-in. pieces and excess fat trimmed1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided plus more to taste1/3 cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons canola oil6 ounces thick-cut bacon (4 to 5 slices), sliced crosswise into      1/2 inch pieces1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut       lengthwise into bite-size wedges1 1/2 cups sliced carrots1 cup sliced celery6 garlic cloves, finely chopped1/2 cup dry red wine1 tablespoon sherry vinegar8 cups best-quality lower-sodium beef broth3 ounces uncooked wide egg noodles(about 1 2/3 cups)1 cup frozen pearl onions2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Directions:Pat dry oxtail with paper towels then sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Place flour in a wide shallow bowl. Dredge oxtail in flour, and shake off excess. Transfer oxtail to a large plate.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, add oxtail, and cook until browned on 2 sides, 2 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Transfer browned oxtail to a plate. Clean Dutch oven.
Place bacon in Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high until bacon is browned and fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their water and are lightly browned all over, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots and celery; cook, stirring often, until carrots are slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and vinegar; cook, stirring often, until just slightly thickened and reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, and return oxtail to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until oxtail is tender but not falling off the bone, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 1 hour, 45 minutes.
Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs, transfer oxtail to a work surface, and let cool 15 minutes. While oxtail cools, skim and discard fat from surface of soup. Separate oxtail meat from bones; discard bones, and set meat aside. You should have about 1 1/3 cups of meat.
Bring soup to a gentle boil over high. Stir in egg noodles and onions. Return to a simmer over medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in rosemary, mustard, picked oxtail meat, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste using additional salt and pepper, if desired. Divide soup evenly among bowls, and serve.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds oxtail, cut crosswise into 2-in. pieces and excess fat trimmed

• 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

• 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided plus more to taste

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

• 6 ounces thick-cut bacon (4 to 5 slices), sliced crosswise into 1/2-in. pieces

• 1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut lengthwise into bite-size wedges

• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots

• 1 cup sliced celery

• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1/2 cup dry red wine

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• 8 cups best-quality lower-sodium beef broth

• 3 ounces uncooked wide egg noodles(about 1 2/3 cups)

• 1 cup frozen pearl onions

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Pat dry oxtail with paper towels then sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Place flour in a wide shallow bowl. Dredge oxtail in flour, and shake off excess. Transfer oxtail to a large plate.

2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, add oxtail, and cook until browned on 2 sides, 2 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat. Transfer browned oxtail to a plate. Clean Dutch oven.

3. Place bacon in Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high until bacon is browned and fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their water and are lightly browned all over, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots and celery; cook, stirring often, until carrots are slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and vinegar; cook, stirring often, until just slightly thickened and reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, and return oxtail to Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until oxtail is tender but not falling off the bone, 1 hour, 30 minutes to 1 hour, 45 minutes.

4. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon or kitchen tongs, transfer oxtail to a work surface, and let cool 15 minutes. While oxtail cools, skim and discard fat from surface of soup. Separate oxtail meat from bones; discard bones, and set meat aside. You should have about 1 1/3 cups of meat.
   

5. Bring soup to a gentle boil over high. Stir in egg noodles and onions. Return to a simmer over medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in rosemary, mustard, picked oxtail meat, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste using additional salt and pepper, if desired. Divide soup evenly among bowls, and serve.

Beef Bourguignon ~ Vegetarian

Beef Bourguignon  ~  Vegetarian  

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, oyster and  

     shiitake), trimmed, quartered and sliced thin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium carrots, cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces 

    (about 8 ounces)
3 small parsnips, cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces 

    (about 8 ounces)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (about 6 sprigs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir)
2 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Wide egg noodles, for serving
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot and shimmering, add half the mushrooms in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, until the undersides are well browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the mushrooms and continue to cook until just tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining mushrooms. Repeat the same method of browning the mushrooms and remove to the same plate.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the same pot, then add the carrots, parsnip and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the parsnips start to brown in spots, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook until the garlic is tender and the tomato paste turns brick red, about 2 minutes more. Stir in the wine, then simmer until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Return the mushrooms to the pot and stir in the broth, bay leaves, a good pinch of salt and a couple grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until the mushrooms are very tender and the sauce has reduced slightly, 20 to 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, stir together the flour and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small bowl until a thick paste forms. Stir the flour mixture into the sauce until completely absorbed, then continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened to a gravy-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Serve over wide egg noodles with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Flank Steaks With Red-Wine Sauce

Flank Steaks With Red-Wine Sauce

A buttery red wine-and-shallot sauce with a touch of sweetness from balsamic vinegar turns a simple, juicy flank steak into a special meal. 

Ingredients:

Two 12 oz. flank steaks, about 3/4 inch thick

Salt

Pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 large shallots, thinly sliced

3/4 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Season the steaks generously with salt and pepper. 

In a large cast iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the steaks and cook over high heat, turning once, until medium-rare, 6 minutes total. 

Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. 

Add the red wine, vinegar and sugar and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes. 

Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Slice the steaks across the grain and serve with the sauce.

 Suggested Pairing

Pair this dish with a lively Brouilly from Beaujolais, which matches the steak in juiciness and has enough acidity to cut through the fat.