Oxtail Tortellini Recipes

OXTAIL TORTELLINI

Steps:

• Method Chop the braised oxtail meat to about a 2 - 3 mm dice, add the lemon zest, parsley, cream cheese and Parmesan. Add some of the braising liquid to moisten. Adjust the seasoning and add the parsley. Mix to combine. Make 36 equal size balls of filling (approximately 15 g per ball). To make the tortellini: Place a sheet of pasta dough onto a floured surface (I like using semolina for this). Cut into rounds of about 7 - 8 cm diameter. Place one filling ball onto the centre of each round. Fold the pasta over filling so it resembles a half moon and squeeze edges to seal. Take the two ends and bring them together overlapping slightly - not by the easiest route, but rather horizontally across, folding the thickest part around your finger and bringing the ends together. Squeeze and place onto a floured surface. Fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes until al dente. Refresh in cold ice water if you are not going to use immediately. To finish: Heat the butter in a non-stick saucepan. Add the sage leaves and allow to crisp up a little. Add the heated tortellini and toss to coat. It is preferable if the butter turns to a beurre noisette, having a beautiful nutty flavour. Season to taste and top with Parmesan.

JAMAICAN OXTAIL

Steps:

• Place oxtail in a shallow dish. Combine Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, sugar, garlic and herb seasoning, browning sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, and black pepper together in a small bowl. Rub both sides of oxtail with marinade; pour out excess.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear oxtail in hot oil until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a small plate.
• Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the same skillet until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Add oxtail, with its juices, and butter. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until oxtail is fork tender, about 3 hours.
• Uncover skillet and increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces and thickens, about 5 minutes.

OXTAIL

Steps:

• For the spinners: Place the flour in a bowl and slowly pour in enough water to make a firm dough. On a lightly floured surface with floured hands knead the dough. Pinch 1 tablespoon portions of the dough and roll them into tiny logs or tiny cigars. You should have at least 24.
• For the Oxtails: In a blender blend 2 of the onions, 2 cloves of the garlic, 1 sprig of the thyme, 1 of the scallions, 1 tablespoon of oil, a generous sprinkle of salt and a 1/2 cup water.
• Pour half of the marinade over the oxtails and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reserve the remaining marinade for later use.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep frying pan with the remaining cloves of garlic and 1/2 a teaspoon of the allspice. Brown the oxtails on both sides for 20 minutes.
• Place the oxtails in a pressure cooker with the remaining onion, thyme, scallion, ginger, a sprinkle of salt and 4 cups of water (make sure that the oxtails are fully covered with water.) Set pressure cooker on high and cook until the oxtails are falling off the bone, about 1 hour.
• Add the carrot, scotch bonnet pepper, bay leaves, sugar, butter, remaining allspice, reserved marinade and the spinners to the pressure cooker. Simmer on the stovetop until reduced, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the butter beans and cook for 2 more minutes. Serve with Jamaican rice and peas and fried ripe plantains!

HOMEMADE TORTELLI STUFFED WITH STEWED OXTAIL

Steps:

• For the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown the oxtails on each side until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
• In another pan with a lid, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute the chopped carrots, celery, onion, garlic, juniper berries, sage and rosemary until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the oxtails along with the beef stock, red wine and salt and pepper to taste. Cover with foil and a lid and cook over high heat for 3 hours.
• Remove the pan from the heat and cool. Remove the oxtails from the pan; discard the bones and shred the meat by hand. Reserve the juices from the pan and set aside. Let fully cool.
• Mix the shredded oxtail with the eggs, Parmesan and grated bread until fully incorporated.
• For the pasta: Combine the flour, eggs and olive oil in a bowl and mix by hand until smooth. Run the dough through a pasta machine until you reach the desired consistency on the thinnest setting.
• Lay the pasta sheets on a floured work table and cut the pasta with a round pasta cutter. Spoon the oxtail filling in the middle of the pasta circles. Pull up the sides of the pasta and close by hand.
• For the sauce: Add the butter and sherry vinegar to the reserved juices in the oxtail pan and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes. When ready to serve, bring a pot of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes. Drain and toss in the thickened oxtail sauce until heated through. Plate and top with a couple of handfuls of cheese.