Basque Recipes

Basque Oxtails

4 pounds of oxtails
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion chopped
2 carrots sliced
3 cloves of garlic
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon flour
2 ½ cups of beef stock
1 ½ cups of red wine
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Rub the oxtails with salt and pepper. Brown them in a heavy skillet with the olive oil. Remove the meat and place it a large stockpot. Leaving the oil and meat drippings in the skillet, sauté the vegetables until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and sauté two more minutes. Transfer this mixture to the stockpot. Add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer partially covered until tender, about 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

If you like oxtails, I have a recipe for oxtail stew on my Nicaragua page.

Codfish Pil Pil
1 pound of salt cod
3 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushes
red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock
1 inch piece of lemon peel
1 egg, beaten

Salt cod, is dried cod that has been cured with salt. Before using it must be soaked in water for at least a full 24 hours. You must also change the soaking water several times, rinsing the fish with fresh water each time.

Cook the fish in fresh water (poach) until it easily flakes, about 15 minutes. Do not overcook, you do not want it to fall apart. It doesn’t have to be fully cooked yet. Drain and cool.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the garlic until it just begins to brown. Add the red pepper, the cod, the chicken stock, and lemon peel. Bring to a simmer. Remove the cod after a few minutes, or when fully cooked. I suggest you use a spatula to remove the fish in one piece and place on a serving plate.

Turn off the heat and add the beaten egg to the skillet. Mix well. Turn the heat back on to a low and stir the liquid constantly until thickened. Immediately pour over fish.