Oxtail meat wrapped in a golden breadcrumb crust is the perfect dish for Sunday dinner.
I have been eating the same dish every Sunday night for the past five weeks. I have woken up on a Sunday morning and clapped my hands, already looking forward to my forthcoming dinner. This epic winter’s dish of dark, sticky meat, so tender it can be eaten with a spoon, comes wrapped in a golden crust of breadcrumbs and sitting on a bed of earthy French green lentils. It is an oxtail “rotolo”, a classic dish that originated in northern Italy, and I eat it at my neighbourhood bistro, the Front Room.
Craig McBrearty and Hilary Bowen opened this almost perfect little eatery at Waikanae Beach nearly seven years ago, and they have found a way to balance locals’ weekday needs with those of weekenders looking for an adult beach hangout. It’s a thoughtful blend of café by day, with brunches and counter food, and bistro by night – one of those special places that meets customers’ expectations.
What really separates this bistro from many others, though, is the relaxed, informal but knowledgeable service, the quality of the food, and Craig’s attention to his cooking. With an excellent history of working with the likes of Al Brown and Peter Gordon, Craig has a confident and pragmatic approach to cooking, presenting dishes that have a comforting familiarity.
The menu rarely changes, which means my favourite dishes are always there, but I still insist on reading the menu, even though I know what I will be ordering. No doubt I will be there again this Sunday, playing cards with my daughter and blissfully waiting for dinner to take its course.
I convinced Craig to provide the recipe for the rotolo. He told me he prefers to use whole tails, as the longer shreds hold the rotolo together better. Substitute salsa verde for the gremolata if you prefer.
Oxtail Rotolo with Braised Lentils and Gremolata
160ml olive oil
2 whole oxtails, about 800g each
2 medium onions
4 sticks of celery
3 carrots, peeled and trimmed
½ a leek, washed
4 cloves of garlic
5 sprigs of thyme
500ml red wine
2 litres beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 packet Japanese panko breadcrumbs
100g plain flour
4 eggs, beaten
100ml cooking oil
Preheat the oven to 180?C. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the oxtails and brown on all sides – about 6 minutes. If the tails are too large for the pan, cut them in half. Transfer the tails to a deep roasting dish, then lower the heat in the frying pan.
Roughly chop 1 onion, 2 celery sticks, 2 carrots, ¼ of the leek, all the garlic cloves and the thyme. Add to the pan and cook until the vegetables are lightly coloured – about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the meat, then pour the wine into the frying pan. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring to loosen any bits that are stuck to the pan. Pour this over the oxtail, followed by the stock. Cover the dish with tinfoil, then bake in the oven for 2½ hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.
While the oxtails are cooking, bring a pot of water to the boil. Very finely dice the remaining onion, celery, carrot and leek. Plunge the diced vegetables into the boiling water for 1 minute, then strain them and set aside.
Once the oxtails are cool enough to handle, pull all the meat from the bones. Strain the cooking liquid, and discard the vegetables and bones. Tip the stock into a saucepan, then place over a low heat to gently simmer and reduce by half.
Shred the meat into a large bowl, adding the finely diced vegetables and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, then divide the mixture in half. Place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, form the mixture into a 20cm log shape. Wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer overnight.
Remove the logs from the freezer and unwrap. Place the crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip each oxtail roll in flour, shaking to remove any excess. Dip into the beaten egg, then roll gently in the crumbs to coat. Repeat the process. Re-wrap the oxtail rolls, then return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Alternatively, they can be frozen for later use.)
Take the rolls from the fridge, unwrap and then use a sharp knife to cut 5.5cm-thick discs. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan until it is sizzling, then cook the slices for about 5 minutes or until golden. Turn the slices over and cook for another 5 minutes. Place the oxtails on an oven tray, then bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve with the lentils and gremolata.
Serves 6-8.
Gremolata
2 cloves of garlic
½ cup chopped parsley
2 lemons
Finely chop the garlic, then mix with the parsley. Finely grate the zest on the lemons, then toss through the mixture.
Serves 6-8.
Lentils
500g French green lentils (or brown
lentils)
1 onion, quartered
1 clove garlic
1 small carrot, peeled
1 bay leaf
50g piece of bacon
chicken stock to cover
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
Place the first 6 ingredients in a saucepan, then cover with chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then cook until tender – about 20 minutes. Drain through a colander, then discard the onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf and bacon. Return the lentils to a clean saucepan. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Serves 6-8.
Serve THIS DISH as a warm salad entrée or as a hot main course.
Lentils with Bacon and Cabbage***
200g chunky bacon offcuts
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ head cabbage
1 recipe cooked lentils
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 stalks spring onions, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cut the bacon offcuts into 1.5cm chunks. Heat a frying pan, then add the butter and heat until it starts to foam. Add the bacon, then sauté for a few minutes until it starts to turn crispy. Shred the cabbage finely, then stir it into the pan and cook until it has wilted and softened. Put the lentils into a large bowl, then pour in the contents of the frying pan. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and mustard together until creamy, then stir through the lentil mixture. Stir in the parsley and spring onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serves 6-8.