Meat Market

Colin Fassnidge and Anthony Puharich tell a tail of flavour, spice and an underrated cut of meat that’s the hero of this braised bowl.

Braised oxtail with Sichuan flavours is on the menu.

C: People have got more time. Let’s cook it slow and low.

A: Slow, and low. Get low, get low, get low. Remember that song?

C: No. Anyway, remember the Kylie Kwong dish with duck and all that cinnamon? I loved that dish. This recipe is like that but with oxtail! You braise your oxtail, then make a base of flavour – think soy sauce, ginger, Chinese vinegar, long green shallots, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns.

A: Oxtail is the most underrated cut – obviously it requires a bit of TLC, but it’s worth it. It’s generally not on the shelf, but any good butcher would have it for you – you just need to ask.

C: What’s an alternative?

A: Beef brisket or cheek.

C: Nice, cheap.

A: But, I wouldn’t give up. If your local butcher didn’t have oxtail, I’d drive to another one. I would just keep driving.

C: It has a very meaty, Marmite-y…

A: Vegemite-y.

C: …Marmite-y flavour.

A: And it has texture.

C: It takes a long time to cook. It’s effort and time, but I would eat it over fillet steak.

A: Yes, so go and ask for it!

C: It’s all about caramelisation of the meat first, and then you cook it in a beautiful stock. I eat a lot more lighter dishes these days…

A: Why?

C: Well, cholesterol. And I’m older. Heading towards 50… and I like to eat lighter and spicier. Bland is not in for me. And this dish is not bland.

[ED’S NOTE]: Bland is a culinary crime!

C: You cook it and you reduce the stock and it’s just so good. A: Oh, wow, sweet, sticky… C: Yes, and then you put some fresh long green shallots on top and serve it with shallot pancakes. Beef and soy. That just has to be one of my favourite Sydney dishes of all time. This is my ode to the dish, and Kylie!

A: It’s retro. A flashback to a dish we loved. You see, I love being home these days, but that dish from Kylie reminds me of how much I love eating out. If you love going out to eat, you need to flip this mag over to read about all the brilliant events and offers from the second American Express delicious. Month Out!

BRAISED OXTAIL WITH GINGER, SICHUAN PEPPER AND SOY SERVES 4-6

1 tbs vegetable oil

1.5kg oxtail, cut to 5cm pieces

2 long green shallots, cut into 4cm

lengths, plus extra sliced to serve 5cm piece (25g) ginger, sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup (60ml) Chinese rice wine

(shaohsing)

1/4 cup (60ml) dark soy sauce

1/4 cup (60ml) light soy sauce

1/4 cup (60ml) Chinese black (chinkiang)

vinegar

2 tbs brown sugar

4 strips orange peel 2 star anise

3 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, roughly

crushed

2 cups (500ml) chicken stock Frozen store-bought shallot pancakes,

cooked to packet instructions

Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan with a lid over high heat. Add the oxtail and cook, in batches, for 5-6 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, and add the long green shallot, ginger and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the rice wine, dark and light soy sauces, 2 tbs black vinegar, sugar, orange peel, star anise, peppercorn and stock. Return the oxtail to the pan.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with the lid and gently simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes-2 hours until tender. Remove the lid, increase heat to medium, and rapidly simmer for 30 minutes or until liquid has mostly reduced. Stir through the remaining 1 tbs black vinegar.

Scatter over extra sliced long green shallot and serve with warm shallot pancakes alongside.