Beer-braised oxtail with land cress custard, radish and crispy bone marrow

Preparation method

1. For the braised oxtail, place the oxtail pieces into a bowl, pour over the pale ale and set aside to marinade for 24 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 130C/266F/Gas ½.

3. Drain the oxtail pieces and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reserve the ale.

4. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the oxtail pieces, turning regularly, for 4-5 minutes, or until browned all over. Remove the oxtail from the pan and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.

5. Add the carrots, celery, chopped onion (reserve the sliced onion) and garlic to the frying pan and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until golden-brown.

6. Place the oxtail pieces and vegetables into a large casserole pan and pour over the reserved ale and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to the boil, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for four hours.

7. Remove the casserole from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove the oxtail pieces, remove the meat and set aside.

8. Strain the cooking liquor through a fine sieve and return the liquid to the casserole. Heat the cooking liquid over a low heat, stirring constantly, until reduced to a thick syrup.

9. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the sliced onion for 2-3 minutes, or until softened.

10. Mix the oxtail, fried onions, grated horseradish and the reduced cooking liquor together in a bowl until well combined; season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Spoon the mixture into the four ramekins, leaving a 1cm/½in gap at the top of the ramekin. Set aside to chill in the fridge.

11. For the land cress custard, preheat the oven to 100C/210F/Gas ¼.

12. Blend the land cress leaves and water in a blender until well combined. Set a colander over a large bowl of iced water and line with a muslin cloth.

13. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Pour the blended cress into the boiling water and whisk the mixture. Skim off the green cress purée that rises to the top, place into the colander and set aside to cool. Squeeze any liquid out of the purée.

    Technique: Skimming stock

14. Blend the egg yolks, whole eggs, milk and 200g/7¼oz of the cress purée in a blender until well combined. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a jug. Stir in the double cream and season with salt and ground white pepper.

15. Pour a thin layer of the cress custard onto the oxtail mixture in the ramekins.

16. Place a dish of water on the lowest shelf of the oven and bake the ramekins on the shelf above for 10-15 minutes, or until the custard has set. Remove the ramekins from the oven and keep warm.

17. For the crispy bone marrow, preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180C/350F. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

18. Mix the texturas trisol and self-raising flour in a bowl until well combined and gradually whisk in the ale to from a smooth batter.

19. Sprinkle some flour onto a plate. Dust the bone marrow pieces in the flour, dip in the batter and carefully lower the coated bone marrow pieces into the hot oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove from the oil and set aside to drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

20. To serve, sprinkle the sliced radish, crispy bone marrow and land cress sprigs over the oxtail ramekins. Cover with the lids and serve immediately.

Overnight preparation time

Over 2 hours cooking time

Serves 4