Sunday, June 14, 2009

spanish-style oxtails braised with chorizo


the june gloom in LA (go lakers!) has tricked me into thinking its a cold winter's night. so naturally, i wanted to eat something warm, comforting and hearty. i read this great braised oxtail recipe in The Gourmet Cookbook (the big fat yellow one...a GREAT book btw) and my mouth watered when i read it. if you havent tried braised oxtail before, it taste very similar to short ribs but with wayyyyy more flavor.

mise en place
spanish-style oxtails braised with chorizo
recipe from the gourmet cookbook
serves 6 to 8 (but if you are like me and love oxtail, it will most likely serve only 3)

6 lbs meaty oxtails (i got mine from costco)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (i used kosher)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb of mild spanish chorizo (make sure its the cured kind and not the fresh sausage)
1 (28-32oz) can whole tomatoes in puree (i used san marzano)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 turkish bay leaf or 1/2 california bay leaf (i used turkish)
1/2 teaspoon sweet or hot spanish smoked paprika
1 cup dry white wine

to serve:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

put a rack in lower third of oven and pre-heart oven to 350 degrees.pat oxtails dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. heat oil in an 8 to 9 quart heavy ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. brown oxtails in batches without crowding, turning occasionally, about 5 mins per batch. transfer to a bowl. pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. set pot aside.
remove the casing from chorizo. finely chop chorizo in a food processor; transfer to a small bowl. add tomatoes, with their puree, to processor and coarsely chop.

cook chorizo, onion, carrots, garlic and bay leaf in fat remaining in pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 6 to 7 mins. add paprika and cook, stirring for 1 min. add wine and deglaze pot by bringing to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits add oxtails with any juice accumulated in bowl, and tomatoes (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat; if necessary; add water) and bring to a boil.

cover pot, transfer to oven, and braise oxtails, turning once or twice, until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
skim fat from sauce. discard bay leaf and stir in parsley, cilantro, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

notes:
-the oxtails improve in flavor if braised 2 days ahead. cool in the pot, uncovered, then cover the surface with parchment or wax paper, cover the pot with the lid and refrigerate. remove any solidified fat before reheating. add the parsley, cilantro and vinegar just before serving.
-if you don't have a large ovenproof pan, you can braise the oxtails in a flameproof roasting pan. brown them in batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet, then transfer them to a roasting pan just large enough to hold them in one layer. cook the chorizo and veggies with the bay leaf in the skillet, then add paprika and wine, as above. add to the roasting pan, along with tomatoes, bring to a boil on the stovetop, and then cover tightly with a lid or foil and braise in the oven.

bon app
étit~!

14 comments:

  1. It looks tooooo good. I have the same pot like you. Can you fill it and send it over?

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  2. Can I come over to your house for dinner?

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  3. I've never had oxtails before-but this looks so delicious and flavorful!

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  4. can you imagine if all us food bloggers got together for one big potluck?! that would be like food heaven...with pictures! haha. thanks for the comments friends =) now go make it and tell me how it turns out?! im working on raviolis with the left overs. stay tuned....

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  5. It looks absolutely divine!

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  6. I don't think I can wait until it's cold again to make this :). Gorgeous meal, it's hearty but looks gourmet too.

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  7. Your braise looks scrumptious! In Spain this dish is called Rabo de toro and I must admit... I've never tried it in my life, shame on me!

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  8. Wow wow and wow!! I am actually going to buy a dutch oven this weekend and I will be cooking this dish! I hope it turns out great!

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  9. This a fabulous and easy dish I have cooked for family and friends. Absolutely delicious. But I recommend using lots of chorizo and carrots. And you can never have enough garlic.

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  10. This is a wonderul recipe. I've cooked this so many times but I add more garlic since my husband and I prefer anything with more garlic. And more chorizo and carrots. Thanks for sharing this!

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  11. I had tried to 3 times already it was fantastic,I cooked during holiday. All my friends love it especially me and my wife. They always asked me when can i cook it again.
    Thank you so much of this fantastic recipe.

    JoE'03

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  12. I haven't never tried oxtail but it looks delicious. I will give it a try this weekend.

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  13. hello i would like to read more about this interesting topic.

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  14. Great post! Keep it up the good work and also keep posting.

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