Braised Oxtail Spring Rolls

In a little while, braising is going to be totally unacceptable until the Fall.  Like shave your head and check into rehab unacceptable.  Or crank Journey and play air guitar at your desk at work unacceptable.  Or become famous for crying in the crowd of American Idol unacceptable.  OK, maybe none of these are proper analogies.  Sorry.

In a effort to temporarily say goodbye to braising, I offer you inspiration to braise oxtail as your last winter braising hurrah. I'm talking about searing golden brown oxtail with sauteed veggies and slowly simmering them in a paprika infused broth for three hours.  Think about a braised oxtail ragu for pasta with a reduction of an explosive braising sauce.  No? Not moving you yet? Fine  Jeez, you're a toughie.  I guess a recipe for braised oxtail spring rolls, with a crispy exterior and a soft braised interior wouldn't be acceptable to you either, winter party pooper?

Spring is almost here, but you have one more braise in you, I know you do.   So go out in style. Following is my full recipe for braised oxtail.  Make a big batch and use it for pasta and maybe even these spring rolls.  Before you know it, it'll be time for the Spring treats.

This is a great appetizer to make for entertaining, as it can be made well in advance and finished at the last moment. If you’re looking for a main course, the braised oxtail would be great as a ragu for pasta or with my recipe for gnudi.

I tried these spring rolls with both fried and raw rice paper wrapping. The crunchiness of the fried version was by far the favorite of a tasting panel…urrr, party. The key here is to fry them briefly in hot oil - avoid getting them too dark or golden so not to distract from the flavor of the oxtail. The brief fry gives the crunchy contrast I was looking for.

Ingredient Shopping List
Recipe makes about 10 spring rolls.

3 packages fresh oxtail (about 3 per package)
1 bottle Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large carrot
1 small white onion
1 stalk celery
1 jar ground Paprika
Whole peppercorns
1 Bay Leaf
1 lemon
1 package of dried rice paper
1 bunch rosemary

Prepare the Braising Ingredients

Roughly chop the carrot, onion and celery. Take out two stalks of rosemary and have your paprika ready.

Brown the Oxtail

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season both sides of the oxtail with salt and pepper. Place a small glug of olive oil on the bottom of a large dutch oven or oven proof pot. Set on high heat and wait until the oil gets hot, about two minutes.

Brown the oxtail on both sides until each side get a nice crust, about 3 minutes a side. Don’t overcrowd the pan - this reduces the high heat and results in reduced browning. Try and do the oxtail in two batches.

Create the Braise

Set your browned oxtail aside. Lower the same pan to medium and add the vegetables and one tablespoon of paprika. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté the vegetables for two minutes, shaking the pan intermittently. Add the rosemary and scrape the bottom of the pan to incorporate the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Place the oxtail back into the pot and add cold water until the oxtail are barely covered. (A glug of red wine here, if you have it, is a great addition). Add the bay leaf and the peppercorns and again scrape the bottom of the pan and mix gently. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and gently heat to a simmer, about 4-5 minutes.
When simmering, transfer to the oven and let gently simmer for about 3 hours. Check on the braise frequently – it should not be bubbling or boiling. If it is, take it out and let it rest before continuing. A hard boil will make the meat tough.

You can braise the oxtail a day before serving.

Finish the Braise

After the braise has cooled, take the meat away from the bones. Be careful to remove most of the fat. Set aside in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. (Note: strain the braising liquid multiple times and skim the surface to remove extra fat. This can be used as a sauce or stock in the future).

Chop a tablespoon worth of chopped chives into the oxtail and mix.

Make the Spring Rolls

Place two of the rice paper sheets into a warm bowl of water, completely submerging them. Once they are soft (about 1 minute), take them out and place them on a clean cutting board. Take about 1 tablespoon of the oxtail and spread horizontally in a thin line across the bottom of the rice paper. Fold up the bottom of the wrapper and continue rolling, tucking in the filling to make as tight as possible after each roll, until the wrapper is completely sealed around the filling.

Continue to roll the spring rolls and set them aside on a sheet pan.

Fry the Spring Rolls

Place a half bottle of the canola oil into a saucepan. Place on high heat. After three minutes, carefully add a drop of water. When it bubbles up, you are ready to fry.

Slice each of your spring rolls into three pieces and place into the oil. With a slotted spoon, gently separate them so they don’t stick to eat other in the oil. Fry 4 or 5 pieces at a time for about 2-3 minutes. Have two paper towels ready. Carefully take the spring rolls out and place them on the paper towels to drain. They should be crunchy but not golden brown. Season them immediately with salt and pepper. Continue until you finish all of the spring rolls.

Serve the Spring Rolls

Line the spring rolls on your serving platter. Make a small slice into your lemon and squeeze a few drops across each spring roll. This adds a nice bright flavor to them. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately. You can also rewarm them in an oven for a minute or two if you are serving later in the day.

Comments

[tami]

Any post with the taglines: braised oxtail, rehab, shaved head, spring rolls...should be a keeper :)

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