Slow-cooked oxtail cakes with mustard and kale

Name: Slow-cooked oxtail cakes with mustard and kale
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1.5kg oxtail, cut into sections; 3 tbsp plain flour, seasoned; 5 tbsp olive oil; 1 leek, finely sliced; 2 carrots, sliced; 2 rosemary sprigs; 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 300ml white wine; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 litre water or stock; 3 tbsp chopped parsley; 1 egg, beaten; 1 cup breadcrumbs (eg. panko); 1 bunch kale, de-stalked; pickles and dijon mustard, to serve

Jill Dupleix

July 24, 2018

Winter fritters: Oxtail cakes with pickles, kale and mustard.William Meppem

Time:2 hours +Serves:4

Cook the oxtail ahead and shape it into fat cakes to firm up in the fridge overnight, and you have a fast winter dinner ready to go.

Ingredients

1.5kg oxtail, cut into sections
3 tbsp plain flour, seasoned
5 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, finely sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 rosemary sprigs
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
300ml white wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 litre water or stock
3 tbsp chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs (eg. panko)
1 bunch kale, de-stalked
pickles and dijon mustard, to serve

Method

Step 1
Heat the oven to 160C.
Step 2
Toss the oxtail in seasoned flour until coated. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a flame-proof casserole and fry the oxtail until brown on both sides. Remove, add one tablespoon of oil and cook the leeks, carrots, rosemary and garlic for 10 minutes until softened. Add white wine, stirring for one minute. Add tomato paste and water or stock, then return the oxtail to the pan.
Step 3
Cover tightly and cook for three hours.
Step 4
Remove oxtail and carrots, and shred the meat from the bones, discarding the bones (turn the leftover cooking liquid into a soup or another stew if you like).
Step 5
Put the meat, carrots and parsley into a large bowl, season to taste with sea salt and pepper and, using your hands, squish together until well mixed. Press mixture into large egg rings or cookie cutters and refrigerate on a tray until firm.
Step 6
To cook, dip each cake in beaten egg, then press into the crumbs. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a frypan and cook on all sides until golden. While the oxtail cakes are cooking, blanch the kale leaves in simmering salted water for two minutes, drain well and serve alongside with mustard and pickles.