OK, this may seem manic, but I have to share this one-off with those of you who like to cook because it was so unexpectedly delicious and took about ten minutes. This is how it happened. It was all done with waaay leftovers.
1. Ox tail bits from the freezer: I had made beef stock from oxtails (one oxtail sawed by the butcher into pieces, a quartered onion, some chunks of celery, some chunks of carrot, a bay leaf, some water—you figure it out, just not too much water—and cook it for two to three hours, strain off the broth to keep, ditch the veggies, freeze the oxtail bits).
2. Some of the leftover stock, gelatinized in the fridge, about ½ Cup or a little more.
3. Mashed potatoes from three days ago—equal parts potato and celery root pieces—boil the hell out of them, smash’em, add some butter and cream, salt and pepper.
4. Reduced tomatoes from, like, five days ago. (Take a can of chopped tomatoes and reduce by 50% in a pan on the stove or in the oven at 350, a little salt, a little thyme, until sort of dry-ish.)
HERE’S WHAT TO DO:
- Thaw out the oxtail pieces enough to take the meat off the bone, or better, heat in a pan until you can take the meat off.
- Heat in a sauce pan with a little butter and light oil (sunflower or veg oil) along with one or two tablespoons of the reduced tomato goop. Stir to prevent sticking/burning.
- When hot, add the old stock/broth
- Add one or two tablespoons of the mashed potatoes and blend into the broth. Don’t thicken too much.
- Warm
- Serve in a shallow bowl
- I also had a few leftover mushroom agnolotti that I refreshed in hot water for a few minutes and added to the mix just before serving.
- A little parmesan and pepper completed the dish.
This concoction was unbelievably delicious. I was even sober. I don’t have a photo. Next time.
Wine paring: this would be a full bodied red: Australian Shiraz, Zinfandel, Washington state Cabernet Sauvignon.
Love,
