Camping. Condensed.
So I made up another batch. Details below.
Our usual camping spot down by the river at the delightful Rue du Chateau campsite was taken by interlopers so we had to make do with the opposite side of the field near the horsebox.
Which sounds charming, but is unfortunately where they keep the toilets.
Still, the camping spaghetti bolognese tasted just as good as ever.
And the Samye Ling Buddhist Centre was as calm and meditative as ever.
I now call it a tagine. So sue me.
Condensed Oxtail Soup Redux
meat soup
Another bash at making an ersatz Campbell's Condensed Oxtail Soup.
This time with more accurate measurements.
This time with more accurate measurements.
Makes 2 Tins-Worth
Ingredients
- oil for browning
- flour
- 2 oxtails (about 2kg)
- veal/beef stock
- 2 onions, peeled, chopped
- 2 (small) heads garlic, halved
- 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
- ½ head celery, chopped
- 1 turnip, peeled, chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- bunch thyme
- bunch parsley
- ½ cup pearl barley, toasted
- ½ bottle red wine
- handful black peppercorns
- half a dozen star anise
- half a dozen cloves (maybe shouldn't?)
- 100g cooking bacon, chopped
- 1 tblsp tomato purée or ketchup
- 2 tsps marmite
- 1 tsp paprika
Simmer for about 8 hours, or leave it in the oven overnight at its lowest setting as I did.
Strain the stock through a colander and carefully lift out the oxtails with their meat attached and set aside to cool.
Wash the vegetable pulp in more water to extract all of its flavour and strain again into the stock.
Strain the stock once more through muslin or a sterile hairnet as I did.
Separate the meat from the oxtails, being sure to remove any bone or cartilage, and blend with enough hot water to cover to make a foamy, meaty paste.
Strain through a sieve into the stock.
Strain the stock through a colander and carefully lift out the oxtails with their meat attached and set aside to cool.
Wash the vegetable pulp in more water to extract all of its flavour and strain again into the stock.
Strain the stock once more through muslin or a sterile hairnet as I did.
Separate the meat from the oxtails, being sure to remove any bone or cartilage, and blend with enough hot water to cover to make a foamy, meaty paste.
Strain through a sieve into the stock.
No need to strain out all the grainy meatiness which will contribute to the condensed soup's texture.
Reduce the stock until it becomes a thick, rich, sticky, sauce.
Makes about 2 cans-worth. For roughly £15 each 😢
Though you can scoop out a couple of bonus bowls of regular oxtail soup with extra oxtail (as pictured) before you start your blending and reducing process.
Though you can scoop out a couple of bonus bowls of regular oxtail soup with extra oxtail (as pictured) before you start your blending and reducing process.
Honey Roasted Beetroot
side veg vegan
As served with an Oxtail Tagine.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp clear honey
- 500g/17½oz beetroot
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7.
Mix together the thyme, vinegar, olive oil and honey in a bowl until well combined.
If the beetroot are raw, boil them whole and un-skinned, until easily penetrated with a knife, then cool and peel them.
The skin should slip off easily scraping with a spoon or the back of a knife.
Trim away the rough ends.
Using a small melon baller or small spoon, scoop out balls of the beetroot or cut them into wedges and place into the bowl with the honey mixture and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Transfer into a deep roasting tray and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes or until the beetroot is sticky and glazed.
Mix together the thyme, vinegar, olive oil and honey in a bowl until well combined.
If the beetroot are raw, boil them whole and un-skinned, until easily penetrated with a knife, then cool and peel them.
The skin should slip off easily scraping with a spoon or the back of a knife.
Trim away the rough ends.
Using a small melon baller or small spoon, scoop out balls of the beetroot or cut them into wedges and place into the bowl with the honey mixture and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Transfer into a deep roasting tray and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes or until the beetroot is sticky and glazed.
Rather good.
The glaze does burn on pretty hard though, so if you want to avoid a lot of scrubbing you should line the tray with foil.
The glaze does burn on pretty hard though, so if you want to avoid a lot of scrubbing you should line the tray with foil.