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Zimbabwean and African Oxtail Stew | National Dish Recipe

Wayne @NationalDish — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 14:09:43 +0000

Oxtail Stew, especially when coming from Africa, is insane.

Some people get a little weird about cooking with oxtail – which I sort of get, sort of (I’m being a little polite), but they wouldn’t have an issue with oxtail soup from a can, and it tastes way better when you make it fresh.

Everyone knows, anything you cook low and slow, on the bone, is gonna be awesome, this African oxtail stew recipe is no different.

In terms of the country of origin for this oxtail stew recipe, I could have gone British, it’s very traditional. Oxtail is a fascinating ingredient, used all over the world and Sub-Saharan Africa in particular is a massive consumer and I love African cuisine, which is only going to get more popular, plus it has some spice, which = winner. I’ve tried a few and this one is from Zimbabwe.

I’ve said it’s really easy and it is. 30 mins prep and then let is sit in the oven for 3 hours. Before we get going, whack the oven on full and pop a cast iron casserole dish in there – do this first, put the kettle on too for beef stock.

Oxtail Stew Recipe

Oven is on and the casserole dish should be in there getting nice and hot - we'll roast of the oxtails for 20 minutes before adding the stew ingredients and then you can go to the pub for a couple of hours.

CourseMain Dish
CuisineAfrican, Zimbabwean
KeywordAfrica, Oxtail, Stew

Servings4 people

Prep Time30 minutes

Cook Time3 hours

Ingredients

650grams oxtailcut into chunks - as they come is fine
2whole white onionroughly chopped
2whole bay leaves
3 birdseye chilliessliced
2tbls plain flourto dust the oxtail
500ml beef stockboil the kettle up front and get this ready
3cloves garliccrushed or finely chopped
1tin chopped tomatoes400g tin will do it
2 green pepperde-seeded and chopped into handy chunks
1tsp curry powderyup, gives it a slightly different angle - this one is rather important
1tsp thymefresh is ideal but dried will do - just don't leave it out
2tbls tomato puree

Instructions

Ok, before we start chopping everything up, let's sort the oxtail out. The casserole dish should be in the oven and either getting very hot or already is. In this order, oil the oxtail and then season generously with Maldon Sea Salt and dust with the flour.
Pull the hot casserole dish out of the oven and put on the hob, add a couple of tablespoons of oil and then add all the oxtail (or in batches). Put the lid on and place back into the oven for 20 minutes - no more though, lets not burn the oxtail. During this time you can prep the other ingredients - do the beef stock first. You can seal it on the hob too, but I found this way gives the Oxtail a better finish.
Pull the casserole pot out of the oven and turn the heat down to 140 degrees. Remove the oxtail and put aside and place the casserole dish on hob, medium heat. The Oxtail should be gnarly leaving behind some tasty fat for the next step.
Add all the onions and fry for 5 minutes and then add the garlic, chillies, green pepper, thyme, curry powder and tomato puree. Stir and fry for another few minutes, gently until soft. Then add all the beef stock and bayleaves.
Give it a good stir and add the oxtail back in, push below the surface of the sauce (top up with water if you need to) and replace the lid. Place into the oven for 3 hours at 140 degrees. Check it hourly and prevent it drying out by adding more water.
You'll then have a deep bath for the Oxtail, ready to go in the oven - you can then chill. Won't hurt to check it half way through, to make sure you haven't lost too much liquid.
After three hours the meat should have been falling off the bones and you should have plenty of sauce - it serves wonderfully with white rice, but that's up to you - why not just grab a bowl and crusty bread?
Thank you Zimbabwe, Africa

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Cook the perfect Beef Brisket and pull it with a fork | National Dish Recipe

Wayne @NationalDish — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 18:22:52 +0000

You know very well, all that colour and those soft looking vegetables – the perfect Beef Brisket is bathing in there.

Some people find roasting and cooking beef a real challenge, ending up with a disappointingly tough result, especially a beef brisket.

All that is usually missing though, is a little patience and foresight.

Brisket is a cheap (although annoyingly, that is changing) cut of meat from the lower front chest of the cow, just above the front legs – so it gets worked hard and is therefore naturally tough.

Cook it right though and something miraculous happens.

Cook the perfect Beef Brisket and pull it with a fork | National Dish Recipe

Once you have cooked this, you can do any number of things with the finished result. You'll be able to pull it apart with a fork, leaving you with strands of the softest beef you can imagine. Run a hot sauce through it and shove it in a roll or just use the cooking liquor as a sauce, put in a bowl and cover (mashed potato would be amaze with it). You'll need a casserole dish - get that on to a hob, high heat with a little oil and put the oven on 140c (no more).

CourseMain Dish
CuisineBritish

Servings6 People

Prep Time15 Minutes

Cook Time5 Hours

Ingredients

3whole white onionpeeled them all and slice two, cut the third in to quarters and leave seperate
2fresh carrotpeel them if you like, don't have to - but chop them in to chunks
2sticks celerychop into chunks
350ml aleuse your fav, even Guinness will do (not lager though)
500ml beef stockdepending on the size of the joint and pot - you'll only add enough to just cover the meat
1kgbrisket of beef
2tablespoons tomato puree
2whole bay leaves
1decent handful fresh thyme

Instructions

Casserole dish should be on the hob - if you don't have a hob proof dish, use a pan for this and add to an oven proof version. Run oil on the beef and season very well with Maldon Sea Salt and cracked black pepper.
When the oil is hot, brown off the beef brisket on all sides and ends, remove and put to the side.
You may have been able to chop all your bits whilst browning it off, turn chop, turn chop. In which case, you can throw your sliced onions straight in with the thyme and bay leaves- you shouldn't need more salt. Give em a stir, fry for 5 and get all the beef treats off the bottom of the pan.
Put the beef back in and add the ale, tomato puree and enough stock to cover the beef brisket. Put the lid on and cook for three hours - leave it completely alone.
After three hours, carefully remove the pot and turn the beef brisket over. At the same time add all the carrots, celery and quartered onion.
I also added a spoonful of Fortnum and Mason Beef Extract - this is totally optional.
Cover and put back in for another two hours - don't touch it.
When done, remove the beef brisket from the liquor - see what I mean, you've got a ready made sauce here, almost like a stew.
Put it on a chopping board, remove any chef's string, cover with folk and let it sit for 10 mins. Then grab two forks and pull it apart. Don't forget to try some - uhhhhh.
Serve it however you planned.

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Fig tree to fork Israeli Spicy Fig Chutney | What is the national dish of Israel?

Wayne @NationalDish — Sat, 12 Aug 2017 21:54:01 +0000

Fresh figs straight from the tree and into a spicy chutney for cheese.
Photograph: Wayne Morgan – nationaldish.co.uk © 2017

In sunless England we don’t generally manage to grow exotic ingredients and whilst figs grow well (I grew these myself), they tend not to be as sweet as sunnier climates. So what to do with them. Quartered and covered in honey is stunning, but, make a savoury fig chutney out of them you’d better keep an eye on them, because they are about to elope with all your cheese and get married.

Israeli Fig Chutney | איור צ'אטני

If you want to keep this, you'll need to sterilise some jam jars and their lids or it can be eaten straight away (once it's cooled, obvs) and will last a couple of days in the fridge. This also best made the day before you need it.

CourseDips and bits, Side Dish
CuisineIsraeli, Middle Eastern

Servings3 Normal sized jam jars

Prep Time15 Minutes

Cook Time45 Minutes

Passive Time30 Minutes

Ingredients

250ml red wine
10whole figsstalks removed and roughly chopped
1medium red onionsliced
2 tangerinespeeled, seeds removed and roughly chopped
250ml water
1 star anise
1good sprig rosemary
2tbls honeythe runny stuff
1tsp garlic powder
2tsp cayenne pepperwant less of a kick use less cayenne
1tsp ground ginger
2 bay leaves

Instructions

First of all, pick the figs (or take them out of the packaging. If you are picking your timeframe is short - if it looks almost ready you can expect the insects to get to it by morning. Ready is when a drop of juice is appearing at the bottom.
Start by reducing the red wine in a saucepan, bring it to the boil and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
Whilst that's doing, chop up with the figs and tangerines and have your other ingredients on standby.
When the wine is ready lob everything in to the pot with the water and stir whilst bring back to the boil.
Let it simmer for about half an hour, until the liquid has reduced and thickened and then turn off the heat and let it cool. When cooled remove the rosemary, star anise and bay leaves.
If preserving, using ultra clean hands and a spoon, fill the jars, put lids on and refrigerate. If you're gonna eat it that day or tomorrow - put in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate. It's best served chilled.
Thank you Israel

תודה לישראל

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How do you make Filipino Pork Adobo | Adobo Baboy | What is the national dish of the Philippines?

Wayne @NationalDish — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 11:31:48 +0000

Adobo, a deeply flavoured pork dish that melts in your mouth
Photograph: Wayne Morgan – nationaldish.co.uk © 2017

This is undoubtedly the national dish of this multi-island paradise nation. It’s slow cooked pork, poached in a deep flavoured liquor. How do you make Filipino Pork Adobo?

You will probably want a side dish with it, try our filipino garlic fried rice (sinangag) recipe.

How do you make Filipino Pork Adobo | Pork slow cooked in soy, vinegar and garlic.

Using pork shoulder for this will benefit the slow cooking process - whilst the sauce is reducing and concentrating the pork will soften and take on all the flavour, uhhhhhhh

CourseMain Dish
CuisineFilipino

Servings2 people

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time90 minutes

Ingredients

350g pork shoulderI used a couple of steaks
3tbls vegetable oil
50ml malt vinegarI used clear
100ml dark soy sauce
2 bay leaves
8cloves garliccrushed
2tsp black pepper cornscrushed
150ml water
1thumb sized piece fresh gingergrated

Instructions

Cut the pork in to largish chunks, it'll will reduce in size during the cooking process.
Place all the oil in to a saucepan on a medium high heat, when hot, add all the pork and give it a stir, you don't want to seal the meat.
Straight away add about two thirds of the peppercorns, garlic and ginger, quick stir,
Add all of the soy, water and vinegar, slosh it around and throw in the bay leaves, bring to the boil and turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. You'll let this go like this for a minimum of 90 minutes, all you have to do is not let it dry out - just add a little water if need be, but it must go for the whole time.
When you've reached the target time all the liquid should have reduced down to a glistening coating on the pork - not dry and not sat in a pool. Grab a warm serving plate, build a pile of Adobo and serve.
Thank you The Philippines

Salamat

The post How do you make Filipino Pork Adobo | Adobo Baboy | What is the national dish of the Philippines? appeared first on National Dish.

How do you make Nepalese Lamb Pakku? | What is the national dish of Nepal?

Wayne @NationalDish — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 22:31:25 +0000

I’ve done this to accompany a Dal Bhat, a match made in heaven, or as near to it as you can get in the Himalayas.

In Nepal they would use mutton or goat rather than lamb, but it makes for a close substitute in the UK. Not that mutton is that hard to get, if you really want it, lamb is plenty good enough.

It starts with marinating and as always, the longer the better, but even if you can only manage an hour, take it, it’s totally worth it. How do you make Nepalese Lamb Pakku?

How do you make Nepalese Lamb Pakku | Nepali style slow cooked lamb, mutton or goat

Whilst this is a slow cook dish it is low maintinence. Don't get me wrong, it's not a 10 hour roast job, it's about 60 minutes cooking time (plus marinating) - but slow is the key. The good thing is, you barely touch it as it cooks, leaving you plenty of head space to cook it some friends. It's not a complicated dish, but much like climbing Nepals highest mountain - good preparation is the key to achieving something amazing.

CourseMain Dish, Side Dish
CuisineNepalese

Servings2 people

Prep Time20 minutes

Cook Time60 minutes

Ingredients

Main bits

4 lambchops
2tbls vegetable oilolive oil is fine

Spices and stuff

2tsp cumin powder
1.5tsp coriander powder
1.5tsp chilli powder
2tsp turmeric powder
1tbls fresh gingergrated
5cloves garliccrushed
4 bay leaves
4 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cardamom pods
1pinch saltMaldon is the best

Instructions

Get a good size mixing bowl ready, it's about to take more flavour that it may have in a long time.
On a chopping board, and please be careful, get the lamb and chop it up in to bite size pieces, some on the bone and some not and place in the bowl. Keeping the lamb on the bone helps with the cooking process and also gives it a feeling of authenticity. Use kitchen shears (meat scissors) if you have them.
Next, take all of your spices and a dash of oil and throw the lot in to the bowl, get your clean hands in there and mix it all thoroughly - coating all the meat. The smell alone at this point should have you wetting yourself, let alone the colour.
Cover and place in the fridge. If you can only manage an hour it's still worth it - it's like Everest Base Camp. Stretch that to three or four hours then we're talking Everest Camp Three and way more depth. If however you can do 12 hours plus (overnight would be smart) then we're basically at The Hillary Step about to summit the highest point on earth.
When you're sure that you are as prepared as you can be, get a large saucepan with a lid (not frying pan) on to a low heat and add the lamb.
Over the next 30 minutes slow cook it and stir only three times, all you need do is prevent it from catching. What started as a rather dry looking dish will suddenly start to release fats and water, sitting the lamb in a shallow but bubbling sauce.
Now remove the lid, again stirring only to keep it from catching on the bottom, cook for another 30 minutes and evaporate as much as the liquid as possible.
When done you should have a slightly glistening, deeply coloured and wonderful smelling Nepali Lamb Pakku.
Remove the cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamon pods and cloves (if you can find them - don't bust a gut, just get rid of the obvious stuff) and in a bowl or very white plate, make a nice little mountain of lamb.
This is an easy dish with lots of passive time to create some other dishes to go with it - your mates will think you've actually climbed Everest...maybe.
Thank you Nepal

धन्यवाद

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