Oxtail Braised in Wine

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Stacie Wheeler doesn't say whether this is a true food funny or
not, so we'll all just have to decide for ourselves.

Not realizing our mother had left some leftover turkey in our oven's
broiler, my sister, 19, turned the oven on to bake cookies. Once
the oven was hot, she put in the cookies and came back to check
on them ten minutes later. When she pulled open the oven door,
flames shot out, and my sister shouted, "Mom! Fire!" as she
closed the door. Immediately our mother called the fire department
and rushed all of us out of the house.

The firefighters were over in a flash, and they quickly hosed the
oven down with some foam, then helped us clear the house of
smoke. As one of the young firemen was leaving, he turned to my
mother and said, "Your daughter is cute. I would ask her out, but
I only date women who can cook."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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England is a nation of meat eaters, and the English know their
beef. Oxtail is a traditional favorite because it's economical and
among the most flavorful parts of the cow. Make this dish the day
before you serve it in order to let it cool overnight to remove the fat.

Oxtail Braised in Wine

4 Tbs (60 ml) vegetable oil
3-4 lbs (1350-1800 g) oxtail, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
2 onions, sliced
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
2 cups (500 ml) red wine
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried
2 bay (laurel) leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) all-purpose flour
1 can (15 oz, 425 g) chopped tomatoes with their liquid

Heat half the oil in a large heavy pot (Dutch oven) over moderate
heat and saute the oxtail until well browned on all sides. Add one
of the onions, the carrots, celery, stock, wine, herbs, salt, and
pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer tightly covered over very low
heat or bake in a preheated 300F (150C) oven until the meat is
very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Cool to room temperature and
refrigerate overnight. Discard the fat that has collected on the
surface, remove the oxtail and set aside. Strain the stock and
discard the vegetables. Heat the remaining oil in a large heavy
pot and saute the remaining onion until lightly browned. Stir in
the flour and cook for 5 minutes. Add the strained stock and bring
to a boil, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add the tomatoes and the
oxtail. Simmer tightly covered for 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Aug 31 08:20:47 2006