Saturday, March 14, 2009

Oxtail and Kidney bean soup

This is not chili, but it looks like chili. I am not Phil Donahue, and I don't look like him. This is a logical construction. This is a bouquet of zinnias. What else can I say before I am forced into this pot?

Right, oxtail and kidney bean soup. The process is very involved. Kidney beans soaked and cooked, begin by cutting the huge hunks of opaque, white fat off the oxtail pieces. Then render the fat in the oven (200 degrees) until it turns into a clear liquid. Then put the pot of fat onto the stove and add an equal volume of flour (and some paprika), and cook the fat in the flour on low heat until the mixture becomes the color of chocolate. Whisk continuously. It will smell amazing!

In the little pot is the amazing smelling roux of rendered oxtail fat, flour, and paprika. In the bigger pot is the broth made from the trimmed oxtail pieces, aromatic vegetables, a pincage of tomato paste, some dry red wine, secret spices, and water. It has already been put through a fine sieve.

And this is the mixture of roux and broth. All that remains at this point is a bouquet of thyme and the kidney beans. It also helps to have some bowls and silver spoons. Bon voyage.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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