Wagyu Oxtail, Hairloom Carrots, Pickles & Nasturtium

Ingredients

OXTAIL

2kg oxtail (1 whole, cut)
300ml red wine
1/2 carrot
1/2 onion
I stick celery
1/2 leek
2 roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaves
1 star anise
20 black peppercorns
250ml Madeira
150ml port
3L chicken stock
1L veal stock

CARROT PUREE

500g purple carrots (approx 5)
50g butter
1 star anise
orange juice

PICKLED BABY CARROTS

1 bunch red baby heirloom carrots
1 bunch yellow baby heirloom carrots
1 bunch orange baby carrots

PICKLING BRINE

500ml water
250ml white wine vinegar
240g sugar
20g pickling salt
2 cloves
2 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp black peppercorns
2 tsp coriander seed

TO SERVE

Nasturtium leaves and flowers
Murray River salt

Method

OXTAIL

1. Marinate the oxtail in the red wine for at least 12 hours. Keep turning every couple of hours.

2. Drain the oxtail and reserve the wine.

3. Peel the vegetables and, keeping them whole, caramelise in olive oil.

4. Add the star anise and tomatoes, mix well and cook until most of the moisture is gone from the tomato and it begins to thicken. Keep stirring.

5. Add the port and Madeira and reduce by half.

6. Add the wine from the marinade and reduce by half.

7. Add the oxtail and then both the stocks. Bring to the boil, cover with baking paper and then tin foil, and simmer for approx 3-4 hours on a low heat or place in an oven at 140°C for approximately the same time. The meat is cooked when it pulls easily away from the bones.

8. Allow the cooked oxtail to cool a little in the stock and then remove and drain it. Pick off all the meat while still warm, taking care to keep the pieces as long as possible. Take care to remove the sinew and fat and reserve until needed in a little of the stock.

9. Pass the sauce through a fine seive and reduce on a medium heat until it reaches the consistency of a nice sauce.

10. Reheat the picked meat in the sauce.

CARROT PUREE

1. Finely slice the carrots.

2. Cook the carrots in the butter over a low heat for approx 5 mins with the star anise until beginning to go soft.

3. Add the orange juice and then just cover with water. Cover with a piece of baking paper and cook at a steady simmer until the carrots are fully cooked (approx 10-15 mins).

4. Drain the carrots, remove the star anise and reserve the liquid.

5. Place the carrots in a blender and add a knob of butter. Season and blend until smooth. Add a little of the cooking liquid to get the mix going but you won't need it all. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Once the puree is smooth remove it from the blender and pass through a fine sieve. Chill the mix and reserve until needed.

PICKLED BABY CARROTS

1. Peel the carrots, retaining the natural shape. Keep the red ones separate.

2. Place all the ingredients for the brine into a pot and bring to the boil.

3. Pour the boiling brine over the carrots and allow them to cool.

4. Place into sealed containers and allow to pickle for at least three days before using. They will last for up to three months in the liquid at least.

5. Warm the carrots up in a little of the pickling liquid.

TO SERVE

Plate all together and top with nasturtium leaves, flowers and Murray River salt.

Recipe provided by Sails Beach Restaurant & Bar