Try this slow-cooked oxtail ragu from The Maslow Sandton

Try your hand at this sumptuous winter recipe from The Maslow Sandton’s Chef  Omar Menhouk

Boasting more than 20 years’ experience as a chef at some of the continent’s most exclusive properties, Algerian-born Menhouk first arrived in South Africa in 1994 to open a well-known French restaurant in Pretoria.

He recently returned to Gauteng from Eswatini to head up the kitchen brigade at The Maslow hotel in Sandton, where he leads a team of enthusiastic chefs who serve world-class meals at the various restaurants on the property.

“I like to make sure my guests are happy and don’t leave disappointed. Your meal must be high-quality and delicious. But you are only as good as your team,” says Menhouk, who prides himself on his attention to detail and for his great knowledge of the world’s leading cuisines.

He enjoys creating innovative dishes and cooking with lots of herbs and spices, including turmeric, ginger, and Himalayan salt.

In his own fridge, he always has fresh vegetables, lettuce and all types of fruit, as well as lamb, fish, or calamari.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 8 hours and 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 500g oxtail, cut into medium-sized pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
• 80g white onion, chopped
• 5g bay leaf
• 50g green onions, chopped
• 20g minced garlic
• 20g fresh chopped thyme
• 15g whole pimento seeds (allspice)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 whole Scotch Bonnet pepper
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp chicken stock powder or cube (optional)
• 1 tsp curry powder, adjust to preference
• 400g carrots
• 400g cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 large potatoes, cut into chunks
• 5 cups water

METHOD

1. Season oxtail with salt and pepper and set aside. In a large cast-iron or steel saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, until hot. If using a cast-iron, only use about a tablespoon of oil. Add the oxtail and sauté stirring frequently any browned bits off the bottom of the pot until oxtail is brown. Drain oil if necessary (leave about one or two tablespoons).
2. Add onions, green onions, garlic, thyme, allspice, bay leaf, Worcestershire, and smoked paprika, and stir for about a minute. Throw in Scotch Bonnet pepper, tomato paste, chicken stock powder or cube, and curry powder, and stir for another minute.
3. Then add to crockpot/slow cooker, together with carrots, beans, and potatoes.
4. Deglaze pan with about two cups of water. Gently pour into the slow cooker. You may adjust with more or less water at the end.
5. Cover and cook on low for about eight hours or until desire tenderness has been reached.
6. Remove and serve with rice, baguette, or pappardelle pasta, and Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon.