One of my family's favorites...
OXTAIL RAGOUT
4 lb oxtail (cut crosswise in 2" pieces)
1/4 C butter or margarine
1 C chopped carrots
1 C chopped celery
1 C chopped onion
1 clove of garlic (crushed)
1/4 tsp whole black peppers
2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cans (10 1/2 oz size) beef broth (undiluted)
1 C Burgundy
8-10 small carrots (about 1 1/2 lb) pared and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
12 new potatoes (1 1/2 lb), washed and pared
1 pkg (10-oz) frozen peas
1/4 C all purpose flour
Day before: Wash oxtail under cold water and dry with paper towels. In some of hot butter in a 5-quart Dutch oven, brown oxtails, half at a time, turning with tongs to brown well all over; add butter as needed. Remove oxtails as they are browned. Note: Slow browning gives better flavor and color and in this recipe, takes about 30 minutes in all).
To fat in Dutch oven, add chopped vegetables, garlic, peppers, salt, thyme and bay leaves. Saute over medium heat, stirring until onion is golden (about 5 minutes).
Add browned oxtails, beef broth and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil, reduce eat and simmer covered over low heat 3 hours or until oxtails are tender. Remove from heat; stir in wine. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate (covered) overnight.
The following day and about a hour before serving, skim off hardened layer of fat from surface and discard. Heat oxtails slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally; bring just to boiling point. Meanwhile, prepare carrots and potatoes.
Add carrots and potatoes and bring back to boiling; reduce heat and simmer covered until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork (about 30 minutes). Ten minutes before cooking time is up, cook frozen peas following directions on package label; drain.
To 1/4 C flour in small bowl, stir in 1/2 C cold water and mix until smooth. Stir into bubbling liquid in Dutch oven Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened (about 5 minutes. Sprinkle top of the ragout with peas.
Enjoy!
