Kare Kare Oxtail And Vegetables In Peanut Sauce Recipes

OXTAIL STEW IN PEANUT SAUCE (KARE-KARE)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the oxtails well with salt and pepper.
• Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed, ovenproof pot with a lid. Brown the oxtails on all sides then remove them to a plate. (You may need to do this in batches, so as not to crowd the pan.)
• Remove all but a tablespoon or so of the fat in the bottom of the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, celery and carrot and cook them until they are soft and aromatic, about 3 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in the thyme sprigs, letting them just soften, then add the red wine and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
• Add the oxtails to the pot with the shaoxing wine and enough stock to fully cover the meat. Cover the pot and let it cook in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender but not falling off the bone.
• About 15 minutes before the oxtails are done, prepare the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes until eggplant is softened, then set it aside.
• Prepare the beans: Wipe the skillet clean, increase the heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper and quickly stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, then set aside.
• Prepare the bok choy: Add the remaining oil to the pan, cook the bok choy with a pinch of salt until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes, then set aside.
• When the oxtails are tender, remove the meat from the liquid in the pot and set it aside on a plate. Strain the fat and any other matter out of the braising liquid and discard it. You should have 5 cups of liquid; if you have less, add additional stock to total 5 cups, then simmer the liquid over medium-high heat until it has reduced by half.
• Turn the heat to low, and using a hand blender, mix in the peanut butter and soy sauce and sugar, to taste. Add the achuete oil, blend again and let simmer for 2 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Return the meat to the pot and let it cook until heated through, a minute or two. Serve hot with the room temperature vegetables on top, rice and bagoong on the side.

KARE-KARE (OXTAIL AND VEGETABLES IN PEANUT SAUCE)

Steps:

• NOTE: Season as desired with salt and pepper at each stage. But season lightly: dish should be undersalted, since it will be eaten with salty bagoong.
• Place the onion and oxtail in a large pot. Add water to cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours or until tender. (Or cook for 35 minutes in the pressure cooker at high pressure.).
• When preparing the banana blossom and eggplant, as you slice, put the pieces into water with a bit of lemon juice, to prevent them turning brown.
• Heat a big skillet or wok and add vegetable oil. Saute the garlic. Add the eggplant, banana blossom, and long beans; cook for 10 minutes. Add baby bok choy and cook for 5 minutes more, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Reserve vegetables.
• Remove meat from broth, keeping broth in pot. If desired, when cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Add meat to vegetable mixture; reserve.
• Add a little broth to the peanut butter; stir until well blended, adding more broth if necessary. Bring the broth to a simmer. In a bowl, combine annatto powder with cold water; mix until smooth; add annatto mixture to broth. Simmer, stirring, until sauce thickens and does not taste floury.
• Add meat and vegetables, and cook until heated through. Meat should be very tender; vegetables should be tender but not falling apart. If desired, add water to make more sauce.
• Serve with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste). I prefer the guisado (sauteed) kind, regular flavor (not sweet or hot).
• * NOTE * Fresh banana blossom should be large and dense, and feel tightly packed. * To clean: First take off the outer dark red bracts and accompanying tiny matchsticks (baby bananas!) -- these are inedible. Continue until you reach the pale pink/yellow inside and it's becoming difficult to peel apart. Cut off the inedible stem. Cut blossom into 1-inch slices, dropping into lemon water to prevent browning. Separate the blossoms (like you would leeks). If possible, let them soak for a little while, to remove any bitterness. * You can use the same water for the eggplant. *.

KARI-KARE (MEAT AND VEGETABLE STEW IN PEANUT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place hocks or oxtail pieces in a large pot.
• Add enough water to cover.
• Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until tender.
• If using achute water, soak 1 tablespoon of achute seeds in water for 30 minutes.
• Squeeze seeds between your thumb and finger tips until the water turns red.
• Strain and set red water aside.
• OR Heat 2 tablespoons oil, saute achute seeds in oil until oil turns red, discard seeds.
• Use oil for sauteing rest of ingredients.
• Heat oil in a skillet and saute garlic and onions.
• Add cooked meat and 2 cups of the broth.
• (Save the rest of the broth for other uses.) Add salt and achute water.
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Stir in peanut butter and toasted rice powder, bring back to simmer cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
• Add green beans and eggplant.
• Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Correct the seasonings.
• Serve with hot rice and bagoong, plain or sauteed.