Braised Grass Fed Oxtail and Mushroom Tartine
Serves 6 as a light main course
Ingredients
9 Pieces of Morris Grass Fed oxtail (about 10 ounces each)
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Canola Oil
About 5 cups Beef Stock
12 ounces Crimini Mushrooms, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons Minced Shallots
1 Teaspoon finely chopped Thyme Leaves
2 Tablespoons (1 ounce) Unsalted Butter
1 One Pound Loaf Rosemary Ciabbata or Pugliese Bread
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced White Onion
Method
Preheat your oven to 400 F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Generously season both sides of the oxtails with salt and pepper. Pour some canola oil into a large ovenproof sauté pan that will hold the oxtails in one layer, and heat over a medium - high heat until hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to medium, add hlf of the oxtails, and cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the first side is richly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and brown the second side, about another 5 minutes more. Transfer to the cooling rack. Repeat cooking process with the remaining oxtails.
Pour off the fat and return all of the oxtails to the pan. Add enough beef stock to come about halfway up the oxtails. Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven, and cook until the oxtails are tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Turn the oxtails over and let rest on top of the stove for at least 30 minutes, and up to 1 hour.
Remove the oxtails from the cooking liquid, and strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer; set aside. Remove the meat from the bones, discarding the fat and tough connective tissue, and put the meat in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Heat some canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add half the mushrooms and cook, without moving them, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Cook the remaining mushrooms the same way.
Return all mushrooms to the sauté pan, add the shallots and thyme, and cook for 2 minutes, until the shallots soften. Add the butter and cook, stirring, until the liquid the mushrooms release has cooked off and they are glazed with butter, about 2 minutes. Stir in the oxtail meat and then pour in the reserved cooking liquid, bring to a simmer, and simmer until the liquid has reduced considerably and glazed the meat and mushrooms, about 8 minutes.
Preheat broiler.
Slice the top off the loaf of bread and reserve for another use.
Brush the bread generously with olive oil, and toast under the broiler.
Transfer to a serving platter.
Spoon the meat and mushroom mixture over the bread and scatter the onion slices over the top. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.
