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.

Rosemary Chicken Stew

Rosemary Chicken Stew

Serves 4.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch squares 
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
1-10 ounce bag of frozen baby onions, thawed
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Ruce or Mashed Potatoes
Directions:
Trim the chicken of all fat and cut into one inch cubes. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Drying the chicken pieces before sautéing encourages browning rather than steaming.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until chicken is very lightly browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. It does not have to be cooked through at this point. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside. If the chicken is browned too much at this point, the stew will not stay a nice light creamy color.

Lower the heat to medium and add the 2 tablespoons remaining butter to the pot. Add the chopped onion, celery and rosemary to the melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper cubes and cook an additional minute.

Stir the flour into the vegetable mixture and continue to cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer; lower the heat, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot along with the baby onions and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are hot, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in the dry sherry and minced parsley. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.   

Beef Stew with Buttery Garlic Bread

Beef Stew With Buttery Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 3/4"pieces
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
12 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 medium carrots, chopped, (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown ale beer
3 cups unsalted beef stock
6 slices sourdough bread
1 large garlic love, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup salted butter

Directions:
Heat oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high. Add beef, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes.

Add mushrooms, carrots, and onions, and cook over medium-high, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add flour and garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add beer, and simmer until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until beef is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Rub both sides of sourdough bread slices with cut sides of garlic clove. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Once butter begins to foam, add 3 bread slices, turning immediately to ensure both sides are coated with melted butter. Cook until bottom is golden, about 1 minute. Turn bread slice, and cook until bottom is golden, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 3 bread slices. Serve Buttery Garlic Bread immediately with Beef Stew.

Seared Lamb Chops And Pearl Onions With Mashed Peas And Mint Tahini

Seared Lamb Chops And Pearl Onions 

With Mashed Peas and Mint Tahini

Lamb and mint are a perfect pairing, but so too are peas and pearl onions. Add tahini to the mix, and the gang’s all here! A vibrant plate to perk up any mid-winter meal, and the minted tahini is superb on the juicy lamb chops. Use rib, loin or shoulder chops for this recipe.

Ingredients:

Lamb And Onions
8 lamb chops, about 1½ lbs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 bags, each 10 oz, pearl onions

Mint And Tahini Sauce
½ cup tahini, well stirred
¼ cup water
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 bunch mint, about ½ cup
Salt and pepper to taste

Mashed Peas
4 cups frozen petite peas
½ cup full-fat (14%) sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter
⅓ cup water
1 tsp sugar
Juice of half a lemon

Directions:

Marinate lamb in olive oil and garlic on the counter for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. To peel pearl onions, trim the ends and drop in a pot of boiling water for less than a minute. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. The peels should pop off.

For sauce, add tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic and mint leaves to a blender. Purée until smooth. Season and taste. Cover and set aside.

Microwave or boil peas until tender and sweet, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and add to a medium bowl, stirring in sour cream, salt and pepper. Using an immersion blender, pulse a few times. Cover and set aside.

Preheat a grill pan or large skillet to medium-high heat. Season lamb well on both sides and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your chops. Cooking them to medium-rare is preferred (slightly pink in the middle). Remove to a plate and tent with foil. Meanwhile, add butter and onions to the same grill pan or skillet, and sauté for 5 minutes until they start to caramelize. Add water and sugar and cook, uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes more, or until onions are tender and golden. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

Place a mound of mashed peas on each plate, top with 2 lamp chops and caramelized onions, and spoon over mint tahini sauce. Serve at once.

Serves 4

Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon

Today is the second year anniversary of the passing of my dear husband.  I thought a nice way to honor his memory would be to publish a recipe he really enjoyed.  Well, I couldn't think of any one recipe that I would say was his very favorite but this dish would be eaten with the compliment, Thanks for a nice dinner, I really enjoyed his recipe".  We had a very compatible dietary plan.  It was simply he loved to eat and I loved to cook.  I did not repeat unless by request.  His birthdate is July 29.  I will then publish his favorite birthday treat.

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients:

6 slices thick cut bacon diced
3 lbs lean stew beef cut into 2" cubes
2 yellow onions, sliced
3 medium carrots, diced
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups red wine
3 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf, crumbled
20 pearl onions peeled/skinned (or use thawed frozen ones)
An herb bouquet of (4 parsley sprigs, one bay leaf, and one quarter teaspoon thyme all tied in cheesecloth)
1lb fresh white button mushrooms sliced

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Directions:

Warm up a skillet, then add bacon.  Cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is nice and crispy.  Remove the pan from the heat, and transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.  Pour off all but a tablespoon of bacon fat from pan, reserving the rest of the grease for cooking.

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Return the pan to medium-high heat.  Pat the beef dry and sprinkle with flour salt and pepper.  Just before the bacon fat is smoking, add a single layer of beef cubes.  Sear the meat in batches, flipping the pieces after 1 to 3 minutes.

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After each batch, transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker.  Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of wine using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape off any browned bits from the bottom of the pan while the wine simmers.  Pour the wine over the seared meat once the pan is cleaned.

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Add 1 more tablespoon of leftover bacon grease to the pan and repeat the searing of the meat and deglazing of the pan until all the meat is seared.

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Wipe the pan clean and warm one more tablespoon of bacon grease (or vegetable oil) over medium heat.  Cook the mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon salt until the release all of their liquid and the liquid has evaporated.  The mushrooms should end ups nice golden brown (about 8 to 10 minutes).  Transfer the mushrooms to a clean bowl and set aside.

*

Add one more tablespoon of the bacon fat and cook the yellow onions with 1/4 teaspoon of salt until soft and browned (6 to 8 minutes).  Add the carrots and cook until softened.  Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant.  Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.

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Stir together the mixture in the slow cooker with an additional 1 teaspoon salt, the thyme, and the crumbled bay leaf.  Add the herb bouquet to the mixture and pour in the beef broth and remaining wine over the mixture.  Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

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Just before serving, stir in the reserved bacon, pearl onions, and mushrooms, then cover and cook for another 10 minutes.  Remove the herb bouquet then serve.

Raclette Fondue ..... Learn The Speciality Of The Locale Or Region And Give It A Try!

Raclette Fondue At Au Greni    

Learn The Speciality Of The Locale 

Or Region And Give It A Try

Travel in Europe with daughter Mary can be an adventure in dining. She seems to know the specialities of each village and town. While we traveled in Cranes, Switzerland, Mary searched the restaurant best known for Raclette Fondue.

Sister Francella might be pleased to know that my one year of French as a sophmore in high school is still with me just enough to pick out enough words to get the jist of written word. I took a small business card from the restaurant which states they have a restaurant and terrace. The card states La terrasse: un cadre unique pour votre repas en plein air. The Terrace: A unique space for you to relax in fresh air.

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Raclette cheese is made in the Alps and is a type of what we know as Swiss cheese with a unique melting point.  It has a nutty flavor and is aged 3 to 4 months. It is creamier than Gruyere cheese. To serve Raclette Fondue requires constant attention of the server to the restaurant diners. 

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Daughter Mary ordered the Chinoise Fondue, granddaughter Laura ordered the Raclette and Don and I ordered the Beef Bourguignonne. Granddaughter Anna had chicken fingers and french fries. Anna went American!                               

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In the top photo, you will notice at the left of the wood burning fireplace a cheese pot for melting the Raclette cheese. When you place

your order, a sandwich sized plate is brought to your table with a scoop of the melted cheese. Another plate contains small potatoes, pearl onions, and Gherkin pickles. With a fork you take a potato and scoop through the cheese and eat the potato with cheese. Likewise with the pickles, and onions also. Your plate is carefully watched and as soon as you need it replenished another plate is brought to your place. Mr. Hendriksen the owner was so gracious. He immediately recognized us as Americans. He asked where we lived and immediately related to the places in San Diego they had visited a few years earlier. He quickly shared with his wife,  there were other Americans dining in their restaurant. (I wondered if that was supposed to be the validation of a place of fine dining among restaurateurs.  We are known for our distinguished palate.)

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Last year while visiting Barbara in San Francisco, we learned that Barbara had found a French cheese shop in her neighborhood. Barbara had ordered a Raclette machine on-line. We had a Raclette party at her home which was a taste treat reminiscent of our trip to Crans.

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If you travel through the Alps and would like to stop by the Au Greni Restaurant-Terrasse, it is located at 3963 Crans-Montana (Mohn tah nah) tel. 027 481 24 43  Mention my name and the owner will say Pardoni moi (pardon me?)