Oxtail and Waffles

Servings: 4

Ease of Preparation: Medium

This recipe is part of the One BIG Recipe: Weekend Brunch

Ingredients:

Braised Oxtail:

• 1 pound (454 g) cut into 3-4 inch (7.5-10 cm) pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ cup (120 ml) red wine
• 2 cups (470 ml) beef stock
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) black peppercorns
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) flour

Plantain Waffle:

• 1 cup (240 ml, 1-2 large) pureed medium ripe-ripe plantains
• 1 ¼ tablespoons (19 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter, plus more for oiling the waffle maker
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) baking soda

Sriracha Honey:

• ¼ cup (60 ml) butter
• ½ cup (120 ml) honey
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) Sriracha
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) lime juice

Method:

For the Braised Oxtail:

• Pat the oxtail dry with paper towel and allow them to come to room temperature.
• Season the oxtail well with salt and pepper.
• In a large pot or rondeau over medium high heat add the oil and sear the oxtail until nicely browned all over.
• Transfer the seared oxtails into a pressure cooker.
• Lower the heat under the pot to medium and add the onions and garlic. Cook until softened and browned, 5 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping any browned bits off of the bottom.
• Add the stock, tomato paste, bay leaf, peppercorns, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then pour the entire mixture over the oxtail in the pressure cooker.
• Place the pressure cooker on the stove over high heat. Lock the lid and reduce the heat to medium when your cooker indicates to. Allow the oxtail to cook for 40-45 minutes at high pressure.
• Turn the heat off under the cooker and release the pressure. Allow the oxtail to rest inside the cooker for 5-10 minutes, or until all the pressure has been safely released.
• Remove the meat from the cooker and set aside. Strain the liquid into a spouted jug, discarding the vegetables and reserve.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, until the raw flour smell has dissipated.
• Slowly whisk in the oxtail cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. REMEMBER TO LEAVE SOME OF THE BRAISING LIQUID ASIDE TO POACH THE EGGS IN THE OTHER RECIPE
• Meanwhile, shred the meat away from the bones and add to the simmering sauce. Keep warm until needed.

For the Plantain Waffle:

• Preheat a waffle iron to medium high.
• Peel the plantains and rough chop.
• Place the plantain pieces in a high speed blender and blend until smooth (or as smooth as possible until it becomes too difficult to blend more).
• Add the oil to the plantains and blend until completely pureed.
• Add lemon juice to the blender. Blend again on high for a few seconds to mix well.
• Add the salt and baking soda to the blender. You can blend again to mix or use a spatula to stir the ingredients into the batter by hand.
• Oil the waffle iron and place ⅓ cup (80 ml) of the batter into the center.
• Cook until the waffle is browned and cooked through, roughly 8 minutes, and repeat until the batter is gone. Oil waffle iron between uses.
• Transfer cooked waffles to a tray. Keep the waffles warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

For the Sriracha Honey:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
• Add the honey, Sriracha, soy, and lime juice. Stir often and allow the mixture to come to a bare simmer.
• Remove from the heat and reserve until needed