Oxtail with Rioja and Chorizo

I've admired a particular recipe in the second Moro cookbook, 'Casa Moro' for some time. I've studied the accompanying photograph of the finished dish more times than is probably healthy, and often wondered what it tastes like. But, I've just never got around to cooking it. The dish is 'Rabo De Toro con Rioja' or for those who donta speaka Español (Who me?) it's 'Oxtail with Rioja and Chorizo'.

The reason why so far I've only admired this dish from afar, but never actually cooked it is the fact that it involves two cooking sessions on subsequent days. Two hours in the pot stewing on day one, a night in the fridge to improve the flavours, and then another 30 mins cooking with the chorizo on the second day. Call me lazy, but it just seemed like too much effort.

But, for all that, I love Oxtail and the recipe is always there, lurking in the (admittedly) mostly empty recesses of my mind, just waiting for the chance to burst forth into my kitchen. That opportunity finally arrived last week when Abel & Cole sent me some Organic Oxtail to try.

The Oxtail, seemingly delivered at the crack of dawn (I noticed the box left outside the front door as I left for work) was as before (see Chicken) well protected in a polystyrene cool box with frozen gel packs to keep it cool. So far, so good. The actual Oxtail was a selection in a pre-packed plastic package, labelled with the farm which supplied it (Manor Farm, which the A&C website informs me is in Wiltshire).

Studying the contents, the major drawback about ordering something like this online became evident. Everyone likes nice meaty chunks of Oxtail, If I was buying it at the butchers - that's what I'd pick out. But the A&C package had a few large chunks but also some smaller pieces, which I certainly wouldn't have chosen at the butchers. I know it's probably a waste thing, and it's the whole tail - but, and this is the point, when ordering meat online through A&C or one of their competitors, until it arrives you have no idea what pieces your actually getting.

That small niggle aside, onto the actual recipe:-

Oxtail with Rioja and Chorizo
Serves 4-6

You'll Need:-

The Day Before....

3 Tbs Olive Oil
1.5Kg Oxtail sliced into 5cm chunks
1 Carrot, cut into chunks
1 Onion, quartered
1 Celery stick, cut into chunks
5 Black Peppercorns
2 Bay Leaves
4 Sprigs of fresh Thyme
4 Cloves
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Bottle red Rioja
10 Parsley Stalks
Sea salt and black pepper

On the Day of Eating....

2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, finely diced
1 Medium Carrot, finely diced
120g Cooking Chorizo, cut into 1cm rounds.
2 Tbs Plain Flour
1 Tsp Sweet Paprika
1/4 Tsp hot Paprika (or dried red chilli flakes).
1/4 Tsp Fennel Seeds, ground.
1-2 Tbs Tomato Puree

The day before, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium to high heat. Season the Oxtail, and brown well on all sides. (You'll probably need to do this in batches).
Remove the Oxtail from the pan, putting to one side, and pour off the excess fat, before adding the carrot, onion and celery.
Fry for 5 minutes until starting to colour and then add the peppercorns, bay, thyme, cloves and garlic.
Fry for 2 minutes.
Return the Oxtail to the pan, add the Rioja and Parsley Stalks and cover with water.
Bring to a gentle simmer on a low heat and cook until tender (around 2 hours or possibly longer) adding water if the liquids boil down below the top of the meat.
The Oxtail is ready when the meat can easily be pulled from the bone, but not so soft it falls off on its own.
Transfer the Oxtail to a bowl, and strain the juices through a sieve over the meat. Cool and put in the fridge overnight.

On the day of eating, remove as much fat as possible from the chilled Oxtail (Don't throw it, put it in a container, freeze it and use it to roast potatoes in perhaps).
Heat the Olive Oil in a large saucepan over a medium to high heat. When hot, add the Onion and Carrot, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Chorizo and fry for five more minutes. Stir in the flour, fry for a couple more minutes and then add the Paprika's, Fennel Seeds, and Tomato Puree.
Add the Oxtail with its stock to the pan and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Serve with Mash Potatoes, or as is usual in Spain, Fried Potatoes.


So, there's the recipe. What did it taste like?
Gorgeous. The ultimate comfort food served with Mash, the gravy was rich, the Oxtail extremely tender and falling from the bone. Perfect grub as the nights are getting colder and we start to move into Autumn.

But what was even better, although perhaps slightly risky was, having some cooked Oxtail and loads of the beautiful gravy leftover, pulling the meat from the bone, refrigerating and re-heating the next day. Serving it again with Mash.
I was in two minds about this, as it meant I'd be chilling and re-heating the Oxtail twice - which probably isn't the best idea.....but, and it's a big BUT, it tasted so good. I just couldn't waste it, and thought it was worth the risk. I'm so glad I did, because if anything it tasted even better the second day. The Gravy you get from Oxtail is like nothing else.

So in conclusion, the Moro Recipe is indeed the cracker I suspected, well worth the two day effort. Abel & Cole's Oxtail, was nice, no complaints but being within easy walking distance of two Butchers, It's not something I'd bother ordering online myself. But, if for some reason you don't live near a butchers, are already an A&C customer or are just unable to source Oxtail, then it could well be for you.

Thanks to Abel & Cole for providing the Oxtail.

What I've been cooking - a roundup.

As a budding food blogger, each time I cook something new, or that I feel is somehow interesting, I take a photo of it. Sometimes posting the photo and writing the dish up on this blog. Seeing as not everything makes it onto the blog in its own right, here's a selection of the food I've cooked (and eaten) in the past two weeks.


First up, served on my lovely hand painted plates I bartered badly for in Marrakesh, we have seared sirloin salad with barley, grapes and sumac. The recipe is from the Moro cookbook, the Sirloin steak is from Woodford Meats Farm Shop (As recommend to me by The Ample Cook). This was great, really enjoyed this, the sumac is a Middle Eastern spice, and has a sour flavour like lemon, and obviously the grapes are sweet which balances it nicely. I'd definitely cook this again.

Here we have a really simple meal, but it was great. Excellent Gloucester Old Spot sausages (again purchased at Woodford Meats Farm shop). With Jersey Royal New Potatoes with butter and mint. I actually spent the time to cook the sausages properly, frying on a really low heat for 40 Min's until they became dark, sticky and marmitey. Lovely.


This is an old favourite, I've cooked it countless times. Warm Bread Salad of Crispy Pancetta, Parmesan and Poached Egg. It's a Jamie Oliver recipe from Happy Days with the Naked Chef. It's Not exactly the healthiest salad you'll ever eat, but it's so good and quick to knock together as well.


Another recipe from Mr Oliver, this time from his 'Ministry of Food' cookbook - Chicken Korma. First time I've cooked this, and I've got to say it was actually really good. I started making this on a weeknight at 9-45pm, to be eaten the next evening, so giving time for the flavours to come together....I always find that Curry's and stews taste better the next day. I'd opted to make my own curry paste (no jars here).....and realised once I'd started cooking that I was missing one vital ingredient. I rushed down the corner shop and got there just before it closed at 10pm and was amazed to find that they actually did have some dessicated coconut. Phew.


Next we have Free Range Hampshire Pork chop, with Champ. The recipe is from Gordon Ramsay's latest book - Great British Pub Food, and this is easily the best thing I've eaten in the past fortnight. The Chop is cooked in Oil flavoured with Sage and Garlic, and is finished by adding butter and Lemon juice to the pan and basting the chops. (I felt very "Chefy" doing the basting). This and the champ (also liberally made with butter),tasted sublime.....but, not the healthiest meal I'll ever eat


Last but not least, we have a bit of an enigma. Spaghetti with cherry tomato sauce. I thought this was average at best, but the Girlfriend loved it scoring it a massive 9 (On my patented 'out of 10' taste scale). It's an Aldo Zilli recipe, and despite the sheer middling banality, it did make a very colourful picture cooking down the tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil. Oh, the Spaghetti is De Cecco, which is a bit more expensive than the other brands - but it is in a league of its own. If you don't believe there's much in it - buy some supermarket own brand pasta and some De Cecco and compare. You won't believe the difference. With dried pasta, you pay for what you get.

Oh - Finally - I've been eating Kelly's of Cornwall Ice Cream (It's on introductory special at the supermarket right now). Honeycomb, Caramel flavour, and made with Clotted Cream......It's really very good, almost toffee'ish.....and my dentist is going to love what I'm no doubt doing to my teeth. So it's win/win for all concerned.


Woodford Meats Farm Shop
Bolt Hall Farm
Larkhill Road
Canewdon
Rochford
Essex
SS4 3SA
http://www.woodfordmeats.co.uk/

Dinner party distress.

I Love cooking......
But sometimes it can be a bit stressful.

Take last night, a small dinner party for four. I'm cooking for my partner's Brother and his Girlfriend.

I've worked out what I'm cooking well in advance - All the recipes will be from Casa Moro, a 'thank you' to my guests as they purchased me the cookbook for Christmas. (Moro has you've no doubt noticed has been a bit of a 'theme' for me recently, the cookbooks are fantastic, incredibly inspiring.)

OK, Everything's in hand - I'm organised, I have a neatly written list and all the ingredients.

Starter - Hummus with Ground Lamb and Pinenuts

This recipe is actually from the first Moro Cookbook, I planned on serving it in a big dish with toasted flatbread, pickled chilli's and a yoghurt, garlic and allspice dip

Main - Beef Tagine with Prunes.

This is from Casa Moro - I planned on serving it with Saffron Rice.

Desert - Pistachio and Almond tart with Orange and Cardamon.

Bit expensive this - loads of Almonds and Pistachio's, but the recipe does say it's for 12 - so I plan on eating the leftovers all week.

On with the cooking - I begin briskly and confidently.

I decide to start with the desert as the pastry base can be made in advance and frozen.

This promptly goes completely pear-shaped, my 'pastry' which I need to "Form into a flat disk" has the consistency and stickiness of wallpaper paste, I get it everywhere - all over me, the walls and every kitchen gadget within reach....finally, more from instinct than any real 'know-how', I decide to add more flour to 'thicken it up' and it appears to come together.

The next step is rolling it out to line my tart tin - it crumbles to pieces - no matter what I do, cracks appear in it, my casual bonhomie with my partner has now been replaced with curt irritable snapping, she wisely retires from the kitchen....a bead of sweat appears on my brow.

After 3 or 4 goes - I get the tart tin lined. It looks OK.

Time to Blind Bake it.

What can go wrong here? Nothing apparently, until I remove my baked pastry case from the oven - and manage to tear a hole I could get my thumb through in the bottom of the pastry, right in the middle.

My partner meanwhile is scurrying around the place, avoiding me and tidying up in preparation for our guests. Later she tells me she knew something wasn't going quiet right from the "Howling and cursing 'For F*cks Sake' and making other noises of distress" - she stays out of the kitchen.

I decide that the thumb sized hole will be covered by the filling, a paste made from Pistachios, Almonds and Orange. I can get over this setback.

Lets crack on and make the paste - on checking the recipe, I realise to my horror I've misread the amount of Pistachios I need - 300g not 200g......it's almost 5pm - I mutter more curses under my breath, grab the car keys and tear off down the local shop to try and find some more Pistachios - the small health food shop have them, but they're three times as expensive as the ones from the out of town Supermarket, with no time to lose I have to purchase them.

This tart is costing me a fortune.

I pray to God neither of my guests has a nut allergy.

I stride purposefully back through the door and pick up where I left off.

Grind all the nuts, butter and Cardamon together - by the time Ive got this lot in my little food processor (Oh for a Magimix) I can just about get the lid on.

I decide that it will decrease in volume when its ground up - so I can get the orange juice and egg yolks in. Right now it's looking doubtful.

I grind away - and instead its somehow doubled in volume and comes spilling out when I take the lid off.

I decide I have to make the paste in two batches, which is fine but obviously takes twice as long.

The four hours or so I allowed myself before my guests arrive has disappeared in the blink of an eye - I have just over two hours left.

I haven't got the tagine on - I haven't made the hummus, the worktop is littered with seemingly a thousand ingredients. Everything is spattered with 'wallpaper paste pastry'
I decide to start on the alcohol early, and grab a Peroni out of the Fridge.

The next two hours pass in a blur.

My tart comes out looking good. My Tagine is simmering away nicely, my hummus and ground lamb is plated up and covered with tinfoil.

They'll be here in 10 mins - I haven't had time to shower or change, and now I won't have time.

I decide to have a quick wash, sort my hair out, squirt of aftershave and change my top.
That's all I have time to do.
My partner on the other hand has managed a bath, her two hour hair washing ritual and has had the time to model a choice of outfits in front of the mirror.

The guests arrive, they're starving - the cooking smells "Lovely" -
I hit the booze a bit harder.

We sit down and it flows well - the food comes out on time, it's pretty good, especially the starter and the Main, I'm not sure about the tart - it's nice, but the flavour is very unusual and it's quite dry - needs some ice-cream on the side perhaps - I'm quite critical of my own cooking, I guess everyone is.

My guests compliment me on the cooking "How do I make it look so effortless?"
In response, I smile knowingly and wonder why the hell I put myself through this.

Clerkenwell Lunch options Part 2 - Moro on the cheap.

The second part of my Clerkenwell budget lunch reports, featuring one of my real favourites - Lunch from a famous Clerkenwell restaurant for the bargain price of £5!

But perhaps first, I feel I should warn you...I suspect it's not the healthiest lunch and at £5, it's stretching the 'budget lunch' description a little, especially when most people are rushing out and grabbing a sandwich from Pret for £3.50 or so.

But believe me, it is so good.

I try and treat myself to one of these a week - normally on a Thursday or a Friday when the weekends approaching, the shackles of office life are fading and I'm feeling carefree and a bit decadent.

So where do you get to sample this dish?

From Clerkenwell Green, we head North once again to Exmouth Market.....roughly half way down the Market we have the almost legendary Moro's....but we're not going in.

Turn your head, towards the street food seller stalls arranged down the street. One of these stalls belongs to Moro's - and for the insultingly low price of £5 you can have a taste of their wares.

For part of the year - the Moro's stall sells Paella - which isn't really my bag.

But the other part of the year they sell this beauty -

A toasted flatbread, heaped with shredded spicy lamb, hummus, couscous salad, yoghurt dressing and a sprinkling of chili flakes.

Stunningly good. The Lamb especially - the consistency is incredible. The only thing I can think of that comes close , in feel, as well as to look at - is Chinese crispy Duck.

I spoke to the guy that runs the stall a while back, and asked if the Recipe was in the various Moro cookbooks (It's not) he then proceeded to explain how it was made - but sadly I have a sieve like memory at the best of times and the method is lost.
But, I believe he said they cook Lamb shanks, until the meat falls from the bone, and then they dry and fry it.

Whatever the method, if your in the area - you have to try one of these.

Moro Stall, Exmouth Market EC1

Cracking open the Moro's Cookbook.

Tonight, I cooked something from the Moro's Cookbook that I received for Christmas.
It was fantastic, but lets rewind a little....

The Evening got off to a bad start, a signal failure at Moorgate left me stuck immobile, on the tube for 30 minutes.
Not Good at all.
(It doesn't help that I am slightly claustrophobic after years of cramming myself into unfeasibly small gaps on Central Line carriages in rush hour.)

I decided to get off, after progressing only one measly stop to Barbican and walked to Fenchurch Street rather than endure anymore time stuck underground.

The upshot of this travel chaos being, I got home much later than normal (such is the lot of the commuter.)

Anyway, I mention all this because, as I've no doubt said before - I plan my weekday meals with military precision. When I leave the house in the morning, I've decided what I'll be cooking in the evening - and tonight Lamb pilav with cabbage and caraway was on the menu.

It's a slightly more complicated mid-week meal, with a longer cooking time than I'm used to cooking. This means, I rushed in discarding my coat on the run, and waded into the cooking straight away. (Washing my hands first - of course)

To be brutally honest, I really didn't fancy cooking after the journey home, and if I'm being really, REALLY honest - uncharacteristically, the thought of ordering some kind kind of takeaway briefly flitted across my mind.
I'm so glad I resisted that urge.

Before we start - the Moro Cookbook explains that this is a Turkish recipe, and is therefore a 'Pilav' as opposed to a 'Pilaf'
It also talks about soaking the basmati rice for 3 hours, this isn't practical for mid-week eating - so I've adapted the recipe slightly - and it worked fine for me.

Lamb pilav with cabbage and caraway (serves 4) Cooking time - 45 mins or so.

You'll Need:-

2 Tbs Olive Oil
400g Stewing Lamb (I used Neck Fillet) cut into no larger than 1cm pieces.
1 Tbs Tomato Puree
1/2 Medium Onion grated.
1/2 Cinnamon stick
75g Butter
2 tsp caraway seeds
175g Basmati Rice - washed (they mention soaking for 3 hours - but 30 mins in warm water with a tsp of salt, whilst your cooking the lamb did the trick for me.)
1/2 Medium White Cabbage - finely shredded.
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley roughly chopped.
sea salt and black pepper.
Squeeze of Lemon juice.

To Serve

200g Greek Yoghurt seasoned with 1 crushed clove of garlic, a pinch of all-spice and salt + pepper.

In a Large Saucepan, over a medium heat add 1 Tbs of olive oil, add the lamb, tomato puree, onion and cinnamon - then cover with water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30-40 mins until the Lamb is tender. Remove from heat and season with salt+pepper.

In a smaller saucepan, melt the butter until it foams and then add the caraway and fry for 1 min. Now add the rice, and fry for another minute.
Add the rice and caraway to the Lamb, add the cabbage and half the parsley.
Add water to bring the level of the liquid to about 1cm above the rice.
Cover with Greaseproof paper and a lid, steam for 8 mins.
Remove the lid and paper and leave the rice to sit for 5 mins.
Season with salt+pepper to taste, and add a squeeze of Lemon juice.
Sprinkle the rest of the Parsley on top, and serve with the seasoned yoghurt and perhaps some flatbread.

Bit more effort than my normal mid-week apres work fare, but this was truly delicious.
I'll definitely be eating this again.

Cook Books and Stroganoff's

As mentioned in the previous post, I received quite a haul of new recipe books for Christmas. Jamie Oliver's latest, Ministry of Food being one of them.

The recipes in this book are certainly a lot simpler than I'm used to following, but they're great for everyday weeknight meals.

It's a pretty good book.

(The rather irritating photographs showing 'Jamie converts' beaming and holding Lasagna with some blurb on their new found cooking skills notwithstanding.)

The fact is, I probably use more of Jamie Oliver's recipes on a regular basis than anyone Else's. (Particularly Tagliatelle Genovese - a real favourite.)

Which brings me neatly to Mr Oliver's recipe for Chicken and Leek Stroganoff.

As the whole point of the book is 'sharing recipes' and teaching people how to cook - I'll give you the recipe.......

Chicken and Leek Stroganoff (19 Minutes)

Serves 2

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g long-grain or Basmatti Rice
1 Large Leek
Big handfull of Chestnut or Oyster Mushrooms
2 Chicken Breasts
Olive Oil
a knob of butter
A glass of white wine
A bunch of fresh parsley
285ml single cream
1 Lemon

Cook your rice according to the packet instructions in salted boiling water.

Cut both ends off the leek, quarter lengthways and then slice across thinly, then wash well under running water.
Slice the mushrooms
Slice the Chicken Breasts into finger size pieces.

Put a large Frying pan on a high heat and add a good lug of olive oil and the knob of butter.
Add the leek to the pan with the white wine and a small glass of water. and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Let it bubble away for 5 minutes loosely covered with a piece of foil.
Meanwhile, finely chop the parsley, stalks and all.
Remove the foil and add the chicken strips, most of the parsley, the cream and the mushrooms.
Stir, and bring back to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes

Drain your rice
Just before serving, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of one half into the stroganoff.
Season to taste.

Spoon rice onto each plate, and top with the stroganoff.
Scatter with the remainder of the chopped parsley.

*Personal Note*
Rice, normally takes roughly 10 minutes (depending on type) - so your rice will probably be done before your Stroganoff. Drain it in a colander- and then cover it with a clean tea towel or foil while your finishing off the Stroganoff.

I cooked this the other night - and it wasn't bad at all. 19 Min's - from start to finish, very straightforward and fairly cheap. Neatly ticking all my boxes for after work mid-week, pre-7-30pm eating.


By the way If your interested, the other books in my Christmas bonanza were:-

• The Moro Cookbook
• Casa Moro (Have to visit Moro's this year!)
• Anjum's New Indian - Anjum Anand
• British Seasonal Food - Mark Hix (His new Farringdon restaurant is also on my 'to do' list.)
• Bibendum Cookbook

And,

• 'Just Like Mother used to Make' - Tom Norrington-Davies (Of 'The Eagle' Farringdon fame)
  

I've already had a crack at a few recipes from the Moro cookbook for a recent dinner party, and knocked up a pretty nice caramelised orange rice pudding from the Bibendum book.

As you can see, looks like I won't be lacking recipe inspiration this year!