Queue de bœuf farcie et braisée – by Michel Roux

 

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INGREDIENTS
(serves six-eight)

 

2 oxtails, whole weight about 1.5kg each
Splash of brandy
250ml port
2 pieces of caul fat, 30 x 30cm
400g foie gras
40g butter
40ml oil
2 onions
1 carrot
1 stick of celery
2 cloves of garlic
1 bottle full-bodied red wine
1 bouquet garni
Salt and pepper
100g smoked bacon
1 litre veal stock

 

 

METHOD

 

Take the oxtails and cut some of the excess fat off at the thick end. Chop off the thinnest part so you are left with 25cm. Turn it upside down so that the smooth side is on the work surface and, using a sharp boning knife, proceed to follow the bone structure from one end to another. The end result should look like an oblong carpet, not a string vest!

 

Keep the bones and thin part of the tail for braising. Season the tail meat and douse with brandy and port. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for an hour.

 

Rinse the caul fat and then lay out flat on a clean work surface. Put the oxtail in the centre, skin side down. Lay the foie gras (cut in a long strip 1cm thick) along the length of the oxtail. Roll the oxtail tightly around the stuffing and then the caul fat tightly around the oxtail. Using butcher’s string, tie evenly lengthways and horizontally to obtain a tight, neat sausage.

 

In a wide pan lightly colour the two oxtails in butter and oil. Remove when browned and replace with the bones and the vegetables cut into 3cm cubes. When well caramelised, pour on the wine, bouquet garni, salt, pepper and smoked bacon. Bring to the boil and then add the oxtails.

 

Add a further one litre of stock and bring to the boil again. Skim and simmer, partially covered, for two-and-a-half hours until tender. Leave to cool in liquid. When cool enough to handle, take out and gently remove the strings and roll tightly in clingfilm to get a perfect sausage. Chill overnight. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and then reduce over high heat until it reaches sauce consistency, skimming all the fat that comes to the top.

 

To serve, cut 3cm slices of oxtail and reheat, covered with clingfilm, in a steamer. Finish the sauce with a little butter. Serve with pommes mousseline and parsnip crisps.

 

Michel Roux

 

Photo © Sam Bailey