Oxtails are baked to release flavor, then boiled and strained into a rich consomme clear soup. A custard of eggs, thyme, and chives is baked, cut into squares, and floated as dumplings in the soup. This will take some time and attention, but the resulting dish is well worth it. You may make the consomme up to 3 days in advance.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours, 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- Consomme:
- 3 pounds oxtails, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 carrot, peeled
- 1 small onion, peeled
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 cups basic beef broth or water
- 1 leek, cleaned
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 3 sprigs parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- .
- Raft (Filter):
- 1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- Reserved oxtail meat
- 6 egg whites, lightly whisked
- .
- Custard:
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh chives
- .
- Sherry or Madeira wine
Preparation:
To make consomme, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the oxtails into a shallow roasting pan and roast 30 to 35 minutes or until browned.
Cut onion and carrot into medium (1/2-inch) dice. Add to the roasting pan. Brush oxtails with tomato paste, return to oven and roast for 15 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer oxtails and vegetables to a 4-quart stock pot. Discard the fat and place roasting pan on a burner over moderate heat until hot.
Add about 1/4 cup beef stock and deglaze the roasting pan by dissolving any cooked food particles remaining on the bottom. Add deglazed mixture to the stock pot. Add the leeks, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, uncovered, for 4 to 6 hours.
Pour the stock into a strainer or china cap lined with cheesecloth, reserving the oxtail meat, and discard any remaining solids. Allow to cool. Then chill in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. (At this point, you may cover and store the stock in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
Remove all fat from the surface of the chilled stock. Transfer only the semi-clear jellied liquid into a heavy, 4-quart stockpot. Take care not to transfer any of the cloudy or muddy bottom sediment. (This sediment, hoever, can be reserved for other soups and sauces.)
To make the raft, place onion and carrot in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process with on/off bursts for about 1 minute. Add the oxtail meat and process into a puree. Transfer puree to a bowl and fold in the egg whites. Set aside.
Bring stock to a very slow simmer over low heat. As stock begins to heat, temper the egg white/puree by whisking in about one cup of stock until combined. Transfer back into the stockpot and whisk only until it comes to a full simmer. Do not stir.
You will notice a raft (coagulated clear protein) forming on the surface. As the raft begins to float, use a spoon to make a small hole or "vent" in the center. (The vent allows the stock to circulate. It filters the stock in an action similar to a coffee percolator.) Simmer until the raft is solidly formed. It should be firm enough so that when you strain the stock, the raft holds together keeping the particles intact.
Carefully, ladle the consomme through a strainer or china cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth into a saucepan, taking care not to disturb the raft in the stockpot. Make sure to keep the end of the china cap out of the clear consomme. Keep consomme hot.
To make custard, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and set a roasting pan inside. Whisk together the eggs, cream, thyme, chives, and white pepper. Pour mixture into 8-inch baking dish; set dish inside the roasting pan. Carefully pour enough warm water into the roasting pan to come three-fourths of the way up the sides of the baking dish. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the custard sets.
Remove the custard from water bath. Allow to set for 15 to 20 minutes. Then cut custard into small dice or decorative shapes.
To serve, pour one fourth teaspoon of sherry wine into each soup bowl. Ladle in some hot consomme and garnish with several pieces of custard.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Recipe Source: Cooking at the Academy by California Culinary Academy (KQET, Inc.)
Reprinted with permission.
Place the oxtails into a shallow roasting pan and roast 30 to 35 minutes or until browned.
Cut onion and carrot into medium (1/2-inch) dice. Add to the roasting pan. Brush oxtails with tomato paste, return to oven and roast for 15 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer oxtails and vegetables to a 4-quart stock pot. Discard the fat and place roasting pan on a burner over moderate heat until hot.
Add about 1/4 cup beef stock and deglaze the roasting pan by dissolving any cooked food particles remaining on the bottom. Add deglazed mixture to the stock pot. Add the leeks, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, uncovered, for 4 to 6 hours.
Pour the stock into a strainer or china cap lined with cheesecloth, reserving the oxtail meat, and discard any remaining solids. Allow to cool. Then chill in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. (At this point, you may cover and store the stock in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
Remove all fat from the surface of the chilled stock. Transfer only the semi-clear jellied liquid into a heavy, 4-quart stockpot. Take care not to transfer any of the cloudy or muddy bottom sediment. (This sediment, hoever, can be reserved for other soups and sauces.)
To make the raft, place onion and carrot in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process with on/off bursts for about 1 minute. Add the oxtail meat and process into a puree. Transfer puree to a bowl and fold in the egg whites. Set aside.
Bring stock to a very slow simmer over low heat. As stock begins to heat, temper the egg white/puree by whisking in about one cup of stock until combined. Transfer back into the stockpot and whisk only until it comes to a full simmer. Do not stir.
You will notice a raft (coagulated clear protein) forming on the surface. As the raft begins to float, use a spoon to make a small hole or "vent" in the center. (The vent allows the stock to circulate. It filters the stock in an action similar to a coffee percolator.) Simmer until the raft is solidly formed. It should be firm enough so that when you strain the stock, the raft holds together keeping the particles intact.
Carefully, ladle the consomme through a strainer or china cap lined with several layers of cheesecloth into a saucepan, taking care not to disturb the raft in the stockpot. Make sure to keep the end of the china cap out of the clear consomme. Keep consomme hot.
To make custard, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and set a roasting pan inside. Whisk together the eggs, cream, thyme, chives, and white pepper. Pour mixture into 8-inch baking dish; set dish inside the roasting pan. Carefully pour enough warm water into the roasting pan to come three-fourths of the way up the sides of the baking dish. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the custard sets.
Remove the custard from water bath. Allow to set for 15 to 20 minutes. Then cut custard into small dice or decorative shapes.
To serve, pour one fourth teaspoon of sherry wine into each soup bowl. Ladle in some hot consomme and garnish with several pieces of custard.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Recipe Source: Cooking at the Academy by California Culinary Academy (KQET, Inc.)
Reprinted with permission.
