Sweet spiced braised oxtail, gingered risotto and cabbage

INGREDIENTS

(serves four)

Spice mix for oxtail
4 cloves, ground
1tsp black peppercorns, ground
2cm cinnamon, ground
1tsp mustard seed, ground
1 dried chilli, ground
2tsp coriander, ground
25g jaggery or muscovado sugar
Hint of cayenne
120ml red wine
60ml red wine vinegar

For the oxtail
20ml oil
4 large pieces oxtail (about 1kg)
2 chopped onions
2 chopped carrots
4 chopped celery stalks
Spice paste (see above)
1tsp tomato paste
Stock to cover (see note)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
1 small sprig rosemary
Salt

For the risotto (six portions)
3tbs oil
2 cloves
2cm cinnamon
1 crushed garlic clove
2cm crushed ginger
1 bay leaf
40g diced shallots

1 cup arborio rice
375ml hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper
2tbs grated horseradish
For the cabbage (eight portions)
2tbs butter
1tbs diced shallots
2tbs chopped ginger
1tsp horseradish
500g shredded Savoy cabbage, blanched
2tbs chicken stock
Salt and pepper

METHOD

Combine all the spice mix ingredients to make a paste.

For the oxtail, work with a deep-sided heavy-duty pan of a diameter just large enough to take the four pieces of meat.

Heat the oil almost to smoking point and sear the pieces of oxtail on all sides so they colour well. Remove and set aside. Replace with onions, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger and sauté until well-coloured. Stir in the spice paste and continue to cook out until mixture is almost dry. Stir in tomato paste. Return the oxtail to the pan. Cover with stock, add the herbs, boil, cover and bake at 180ºC until tender (about four hours). Remove the oxtails. Pass the sauce through a chinois. Leave the oxtail to stand overnight in passed sauce. Reduce the sauce (without the meat) almost to a glaze. Heat the oxtail in it, basting regularly. Add salt.

For the risotto, heat oil and fry the spices, then garlic and ginger. Add the bay leaf and shallots and sweat until transparent. Stir in the rice and fry until well coated. Add the stock as for a classic risotto - a little at a time. When the rice is cooked, remove bay leaf and whole spices. Season and finish with horseradish.

For the cabbage, heat the butter and fry the shallots, ginger and horseradish until tender. Stir in the cabbage. Add the stock and stew gently until the cabbage is fully cooked. Check seasoning.

For assembly, combine the rice and half the cabbage. Put a hoop in the middle of a plate and fill with risotto and cabbage. Lay a piece of glazed oxtail on top. Accompany with a little reduced veal jus and decorate with deep-fried shredded leeks.

Floyd Cardoz

Photo © Sam Bailey