According to the cookbook, Ukutya Kwasekhaya: Tastes from Nelson Mandela’s Kitchen by Xoliswa Ndoyiya, the personal chef of Nelson Mandela, the late president had a preference for simple, traditional food. One of his favourites was oxtail and in celebration of Mandela Day on 18 July, Chef Christiaan Visser suggests this recipe for Oxtail with samp and recommends you enjoy it with a refreshing carrot and pineapple salsa.
We recommend you try the dish with another South African stalwart, Leopard’s Leap Classic Pinotage or the Leopard’s Leap Natura Classic Red De-Alc if you choose to go alcohol free.
Ingredients for the oxtail
- 2 kg oxtail
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup cake-flour
- ¼ cup oil for frying, sunflower or canola
- 2 onions, chopped roughly
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 sachet tomato paste
- 2 tins chopped and peeled tomatoes
- 4 bay-leaves
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 litres brown beef stock
- 2 cups samp, rinsed under cold water and soaked for 3 hours
- handful parsley, chopped
Instructions
- You can make this in a black potjie over the coals or in the oven, in which case, pre-heat to 180 ⁰C.
- Season the raw oxtail with salt and pepper.
- Place the oxtail, in batches, into a plastic portion bag. Add a handful of flour to the bag and shake until the oxtail is completely coated with flour. Remove from the bag and repeat the process until all the oxtail is coated.
- Heat the pot over a medium-high heat, and add oil. In batches, brown the oxtail in the hot pot again. Remove from the pot and drain off any excess oil.
- Add more clean oil to the pot, add the vegetables to the same pot and brown slightly. Add the tomato paste and the two tins of tomatoes along with the bay- leaves, peppercorns, vinegar and beef stock. Bring to the boil.
- Once boiling, place the lid onto the pot and leave to simmer for 2 hours. (If making it on the stove, place the pot into the oven for 2 hours.)
- Remove from heat and open the lid. Place the raw samp inside the oxtail liquid. Cover with the lid and continue to cook for 1 hour (Place back into the oven for 1 hour.)
- After an hour of cooking, the samp should be tender and the oxtail should come off the bone quite easily. If either one of the two is still under-cooked, keep cooking until the above-mentioned has come to pass.
- Once cooked. Leave to rest for 30 minutes before serving. Skim off excess fat, using a spoon.
- Thicken the sauce with corn-flower if necessary.
- Sprinkle with fresh, chopped, parsley.
Ingredients for the carrot and pineapple salsa
- 3 large carrots
- ½ cup chopped pineapple
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ½ white onion, finely chopped
- olive oil blend
- white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel and grate the carrots into a mixing bowl. Add the pineapple, chopped herbs and onion. Add a good drizzle of olive oil blend and a dash of vinegar. Season and taste.
- Serve as a refreshing accompaniment to the oxtail and samp.
