Spring Pea Risotto, Braised Oxtail & Confit Onion
This week Executive Chef Jean Delport has put together the perfect recipe with a braised oxtail and Benguela Cove Syrah pairing.
Enjoy a fresh, sweet and slightly zesty dinner idea with juicy grains of rice and delicious oxtail which makes this the perfect dish with just enough heartiness for when the days that get a bit colder.
Get your guests talking by preparing a Michel star dish in the comfort of your own home.
Pea Risotto Ingredients
1 recipe pea purée
1 recipe braised oxtail
1 each white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely grated
50ml olive oil
200g Arborio rice
150ml white wine
1500ml Chicken Stock
60g Parmesan - freshly grated
1 each lemon – for juicing
100g unsalted butter - cubed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method for Pea Risotto
In a medium saucepan on a low heat, sweat the onion in the olive oil with a pinch of salt for 2 minutes, until translucent.
Add the garlic.
Stir in the rice and continue to cook on a low heat for 3 minutes, until the grains of rice appear shiny.
Pour in the white wine, then the 350ml of chicken stock, stir and bring to the gentlest simmer.
Continuously stir the risotto over a low heat adding a ladle of stock every 5 minutes or as needed to create a thick wet consistency. The key is to keep the rice moist but not flooded.
After about 20 minutes pick up a grain of rice. You will see a tiny speck of white starch in the middle – this means the risotto is nearly cooked.
Once you reach this point, beat the rice a little bit faster for two minutes and turn off the heat.
Add your cubed butter and grated parmesan across your risotto cover with the lid and allow to stand for 4 minutes.
Remove the lid and gently stir the risotto to emulsify the butter and parmesan together with the rice.
Stir in 200ml of the cooled pea purée, which will revive the colour and add freshness to the risotto.
Taste and correct the seasoning, and spoon into serving bowls.
Dress the top of the risotto with the braised oxtail, and garnish with the fresh peas, radishes, baby onions and shoots. Lastly add 3-4 parmesan curls on top of the risotto and serve.
For the pea purée Ingredients
300g fresh peas (shelled weight)
30g unsalted butter
120ml vegetable stock
1 pinch sea salt
Method for pea puree:
In a small saucepan on medium heat, sweat the peas in the butter for 5 minutes, adding a pinch of salt.
Add the 120ml of vegetable stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes.
Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth and leave to cool.
To garnish (optional)
15g pea shoots
40g radish tops
140g fresh peas
20 g Parmesan shavings
1 recipe below - braised oxtail
1 recipe below - baby onions
Method Braised Oxtail (Prepare 1 Day Before)
2 kg oxtail
Seasoned cake flour – dusting
3 ea onions
2 ea carrots
2 ea celery sticks
8ea garlic cloves
3ea star anise
40g tomato paste
400ml red wine
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp sugar granulated
1 hand fresh thyme
1 hand fresh parsley
1 ea bay Leaf
10 ea black peppercorns
1L chicken stock
2L brown stock
salt for seasoning
How to Make Braised Oxtail
Generously season the flour, and lightly dust the oxtail. Making sure you heavily bang off any excess flour.
Heat a thick based frying pan to medium heat and brown the meat to a golden brown colour.
Once Browned, remove from the pan and reserve on a plate on the side.
Finely dice the onions, carrots, garlic and celery to equal size, almost resembling mince.
Sauté in the same thick based frying pan with a little olive oil, add the bay leaf, star anise and about a third of the fresh herbs.
When the vegetables are well wilted, translucent and sweet without burning, deglaze with whole cherry tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar.
Cook till they all burst, become all sticky and liquid has cooked away. Deglaze with red wine.
Reduce wine by 50%, and all alcohol is cooked out.
Add browned oxtail, peppercorns, salt, stocks, thyme and any meat juices rendered from browning.
Slowly bring to the simmer and skim off any scum that rises to the surface and discard.
Transfer to an ovenproof dish, making sure the meat is covered in liquid, wrapped in foil and slowly braise in the oven at 140℃ for about 5 hours or until the meat is soft, juicy and breaking to the touch.
Allow all ingredients to cool together and refrigerate overnight in the same cooking vessel, making sure there is enough air around the tray to cool sufficiently.
Next day, slightly heat the tray, and carefully spoon out the meat, reserving for later.
Slowly flake the oxtail into small chunks making sure to discard all bones and cartilage, reserve in an appropriate size bowl to finish later.
Strain the sauce that you have created through a fine sieve and reduce on a slow simmer, taking care on skimming any scum that floats to the top and adds the last bit of thyme.
Reduce the sauce down by 4/5, making sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pot. The sauce should be at a lovely velvety texture
Adjust the Seasoning to preference, adding a squirt of fresh lemon juice and thyme, and fold through the picked oxtail meat.
Baby Onions
20 ea baby onions
150 ml olive oil / sunflower oil
8 sprig thyme
2 cloves garlic
1 pinch salt & black pepper
Method
Peel the baby onions, keeping them whole with a little bit of root on to hold them together.
Cover with oil and aromatics, and confit at 140℃ for about 45 min till soft but holding.
The Winemakers’ Pick
Our pick for this dish is the Estate Syrah 2018
Why?
The structure of this wine is born from vines braving extreme weather conditions on the ocean’s edge, yet this wine has a gentle character, with a gentle aroma that aids longevity. Apart from its deep and attractive colour, the style delivers on freshness and balance that leaves you wanting more.
Our Winemaking Notes
This wine ticks all the boxes where fruit and spice is concerned. Delicious mulberry and plum set the stage for fine nuances of pepper and cinnamon. The soft and silky tannins add just enough structure to announce its cool climate character and to remain a versatile go-to wine for all occasions.