Jamaican Oxtail Stew

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet red peppers
• 5 lbs oxtail
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 4 cups water (approximate)
• 2 yellow onions, chopped (about 1½ cups)
• 2 bulbs garlic, minced (about 24 cloves)
• 1½ cup carrots, chopped
• 1 celery heart, chopped
• 1 tablespoon beef base
• 1 tablespoon vegetable base
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
• 1½ cup celery stalks, diced
• 1 zucchini, coarsely diced
• 1 can Cannellini beans (15 oz)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• ⅓ cup ginger paste (approx 3 oz)
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ cup red wine
• 5 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2 tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet
• salt to taste
• 1 cup unsalted mashed potato flakes (approximate)
• chopped cilantro to garnish

Procedure:

1. Roast red peppers over open flame until slightly charged, coarsely dice the peppers and set aside
2. Brown the oxtail in a soup pot, add water to cover meat, add salt, bring water to boil then let simmer for 5 hours (or until meat almost falls off the bone)
3. Remove the meat and refrigerate overnight
4. Transfer stock to smaller container and refrigerate overnight
5. Remove the solidified grease on top of the stock and set aside
6. Start the stew in a big soup pot: saute onion and garlic in a little grease from the stock
7. Return the stock to the pot, then add potatoes, carrots, celery hearts, beef base and vegetable base
8. Bring pot to boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes
9. Increase the heat and cook for another 20 minutes while adding the rest of the veggies one item at a time in the following order: tomatoes, celery stalks, zucchini, Cannellini beans, red pepper (bring the stew to a boil after adding each item)
10. Add the seasonings: soy sauce, ginger paste, thyme, cayenne pepper, liquid smoke, brown sugar, red wine, and salt
11. Thicken stew with mashed potato flakes
12. Adjust for color by adding paprika and Kitchen Bouquet
13. Adjust seasoning for taste
14. Garnish with cilantro