Barefoot Contessa Oxtail Recipes

RICH BEEF BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add the oxtails, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until browned all over. Remove the oxtails with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Add the leeks, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown. Tie the thyme sprigs together with kitchen string and add to the pot along with the bay leaves. Return the oxtails to the pot and add the broth, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Discard the thyme bundle and the bay leaves, and skim off the fat.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the barley. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, drain, and set aside.
• When the soup is ready, add the barley and cook the soup for another 15 or 20 minutes, until the barley is tender. Depending on the saltiness of the stock, the soup might need another teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Serve hot, with or without the oxtails.

SOUTHERN-STYLE OXTAILS

Steps:

• Wash the oxtails with warm water and place in a heavy stainless-steel pot. Add the onions, peppers, beef and chicken bases, garlic powder, salt, browning sauce, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Cover the oxtails by three-quarters with water. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, adding more water if necessary, until the oxtails are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

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!