Island palates enjoy oxtail stew with potatoes, carrots, onions and tomato-based gravy, or Chinese oxtail soup with barley, peanuts, star anise and a side of grated fresh ginger.
George Mansho, a retired 38-year Realtor residing in Salt Lake, asked for a recipe for braised or stewed oxtail with brown gravy.
Daiei and Safeway feature oxtails for about $2.50 a pound this week. Plan ahead, so you can chill the dish and skim off the fat.
3 tablespoons shorteningPreheat the oven to 300 degrees. Melt the shortening in a heavy skillet. Mix the flour, salt and pepper, and roll the oxtail pieces in it. Brown the meat in the shortening, turning so that all sides are colored. Transfer to a covered casserole and cook the onions in the fat in the skillet.
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 to 4 pounds oxtail, in 2-inch pieces
2 onions, sliced thin
1-1/2 cups beef broth
1-1/2 cups canned tomatoes
2 bay leaves
When they are lightly brown, add them to the meat in the casserole. Pour on the beef broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water.
Stir, add the bay leaves, cover, and bake for 3 hours. Remove the bay leaves, cool the whole dish and remove the fat. Reheat and serve. Makes 10 servings.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving with fat: 400 calories, 34 grams total fat, 12 grams saturated fat, 90 milligrams cholesterol, 340 milligrams sodium. Per serving with 75 percent fat skimmed: 170 calories, 9 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 22 milligrams cholesterol, 340 milligrams sodium.*
