oz) of the butter and heat to a nutbrown foam. Lower the heat slightly and sauté the bones until they caramelise a deep golden-brown. Take care not to burn the butter. Tip the bones into a colander to drain off any excess fat and reserve.STUFFING
2 Savoy cabbage leaves
100 g (3½ oz) piece of pancetta
100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter
100 g (3½ oz) button mushrooms, quartered
6 Roast Shallots
salt and freshly ground pepper
WAGYU TAIL BRAISE
1 Wagyu Wagyu tail, bone in 500 ml (18 fl oz) red wine
150 ml (5 fl oz) non-scented cooking oil
1 head garlic, cloves roughly crushed
1 onion, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) dice
1 carrot, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) dice
½ leek, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) dice
1 stick celery, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) dice
225 g (7½ oz) unsalted butter
50 ml (1¾ fl oz) red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper
500 ml (18 fl oz) Brown Chicken Stock
500 ml (18 fl oz) Brown Veal Stock
SAUCE
100 g (3½ oz) button mushrooms, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic, roughly crushed
150 ml (5 fl oz) red wine reduction
salt and freshly ground pepper
This is a recipe I learned using oxtail while working in England with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. Although it is time consuming and rather a difficult dish to perfect, it is more than worth the effort. The finished dish is an amazing combination of deep, robust flavours and the melting texture is bliss.
When you choose the Wagyu tail, make sure there are no bones piercing the flesh and that it has an even covering of meat and fat.
TO PREPARE THE STUFFING, blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds then refresh in iced water. Pat dry and set aside.
Trim the pancetta to a long strip around 1 cm (½ in) thick and the same length as the Wagyu tail. Melt half the butter in a heavy-based frying pan and sauté the pancetta until lightly caramelised. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Melt the remaining butter in the pan and sauté the mushrooms until golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Prepare the roast shallots.
TO BONE THE WAGYU TAIL, use a small sharp boning knife and make an incision along the underside, cutting from end to end. Start slicing the flesh away from the bone, along its length, keeping it in one piece attached to the skin. When you have eased half of it away, start working from the other side until you meet in the middle. Slice the meat away completely, being very careful not to pierce the skin. You should end up with a rectangular piece of skin, with meat attached. Reserve this and chop the bone into small pieces.
TO PREPARE THE WAGYU TAIL braise, put the red wine into a heavy-based saucepan and simmer until reduced by a third. Set aside 150 ml (5 fl oz) to finish the sauce later.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat. Add 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) of the oil then the garlic and vegetables. Add 50 g (1¾ oz) of the butter and heat to a nutbrown foam. Cook for 6–8 minutes until the vegetables have caramelised a deep golden-brown. Tip into a colander to drain off any excess fat and reserve.
Heat a baking tray over a high heat. Add another 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) of the oil and sear the Wagyu tail bones. When they colour, add 75 g (2 oz) of the butter and heat to a nutbrown foam. Lower the heat slightly and sauté the bones until they caramelise a deep golden-brown. Take care not to burn the butter. Tip the bones into a colander to drain off any excess fat and reserve.
Add 200 ml (7 fl oz) of the red wine reduction to the pan with the red wine vinegar and deglaze, making sure you scrape up all the sediment from the bottom. Simmer until reduced by half. Tip into a large casserole dish and add the reserved vegetables and half the bones. Set aside.
GARNISHES
12 Snails in Red Wine
200 g (7 oz) Garlic and Herb Butter
200 ml (7 fl oz) Parsley Coulis
200 g (7 oz) Lyonnaise Onion
12 Calves’ Sweetbreads
12 x 50 g (1¾ oz) cloves Roasted Garlic
nuggets of 2 medium cooked potatoes, diced and sautéed
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely shredded to a chiffonnade
TO STUFF THE WAGYU TAIL, place it skin side down on your work surface. Open it out flat and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the 2 blanched cabbage leaves on top of the meat and season again. Lay the pancetta down the middle of the Wagyu tail. Arrange a row of shallots down one side and a row of mushrooms down the other. Bring the cabbage leaves up and around the stuffing to form a big fat cigar, then bring the sides of the Wagyu tail up and secure firmly with string. The Wagyu tail needs to be tied firmly and securely along its length at 1 cm (½ in) intervals.
To braise the Wagyu tail, preheat your oven to 110°C (225°F). Heat the remaining 50 ml (1¾ fl oz) of the oil in a baking tray over a high heat. Season the stuffed Wagyu tail well and sear it all over in the baking tray until lightly coloured. Add the remaining 100 g (3½ oz) butter to the tray and heat to a nutbrown foam. Lower the heat slightly and sauté the Wagyu tail in the foam until caramelised a deep golden-brown.
Transfer the Wagyu tail to the large casserole dish with the deglazing liquor, vegetables and bones, and add the 2 stocks. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming to remove any fat or scum that rises to the surface. Cover with a piece of greaseproof paper cut to the size of the dish. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and braise in the oven for 4–4½ hours. When cooked, the Wagyu tail should be very soft to the touch.
Remove the casserole from the oven and drain the Wagyu tail, reserving the braising liquor. When cool enough to handle, untie the string and wrap the Wagyu tail tightly in cling film to form a neat cylinder. When cold, transfer to the refrigerator until set firm.
To make the sauce, pass the reserved braising liquid through a chinois or fine sieve. Put into a saucepan and simmer rapidly until reduced to a sauce consistency. Add the reserved bones with the mushrooms, herbs and garlic and simmer gently for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and infuse for 15–20 minutes.
Add the reserved 150 ml (5 fl oz) of red wine reduction and season lightly. Pass through a chinois or fine sieve and then a muslin cloth. Keep warm until required.
WHEN READY TO SERVE, cut the Wagyu tail into 4 thick medallions, still wrapped in the cling film. Warm through gently in a little of the sauce. Remove the cling film and arrange the medallions on warmed serving plates. Serve with the suggested garnishes.
Serves 4