Recipe: Four Bones in One Pot from Bones by Jennifer McLagan

FOUR BONES IN ONE POT

"Sometimes we forget how good food can be. This recipe has vegetables and three different cuts of meat all in one pot, plus there is the added bonus of creamy rich marrow bones. Delicious. Perfect. All you need is a bottle of good wine and some bread to sop up the sauce. Plan ahead because the meat is marinated overnight before it is cooked, then the dish is refrigerated overnight so all the fat can be removed and the flavors can blend."

1 bottle (750ml) Shiraz or other hearty dry red wine
1 large beef cross-cut shank piece, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds (675 to 800g)
1 slab short ribs, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds (675 to 800g)
4 large pieces oxtail, trimmed
5 medium onions, sliced
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch (5mm) slices
1 celery stock, sliced
2 garlic cloves, halved
3 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 marrow bones
1 cup Brown Stock (or beef stock)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 whole medium portobello mushrooms

1. Pour the wine into a large saucepan and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat so the wine bubbles gently. Tip the saucepan slightly away from you, and using a long match, carefully light the wine. Let the wine bubble and burn, then, once the flames die out, light the wine again. Continue lighting the wine until it no longer burns. (This method burns off the alcohol in the wine). Pour the wine into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl, and leave it to cool; there will be about 2 1/2 cups (625 ml).

2. Using kitchen scissors, make a cut through the membrane that surrounds the shank to prevent the meat from curling as it cooks. Tie a piece of string around the shank to keep the meat in place. Cut the slab of short ribs in half. Place the shank, short ribs, and oxtails in a large shallow dish. Add one of the sliced onions, one of the sliced carrots, the celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. When the wine has cooled to room temperature, add 1/4 teaspoon of the nutmeg to it and pour over the meat and vegetables. Turn the meat and vegetables to coat, then cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once or twice.

3. One hour before cooking, remove meat from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150C). Remove the meat from the marinade and drain on paper towels. Strain the marinade through a sieve into a measuring cup; reserve the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and discard the vegetables.

4. Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the meat in batches, transferring it to a plate as it browns.

5. Add the remaining onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Pour in the strained marinade, and bring to a boil, deglazing the pot by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the stock, tomato paste, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg to the pan along with the reserved garlic, thyme, and bay leaves, and stir well.

6. Add the shank, the oxtail pieces, and then the rib pieces on top, bone side up. Cover with a damp piece of parchment paper and then the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.

7. Meanwhile place the marrow bones in a bowl of ice water to cover and add 2 tablespoons salt. Refrigerate them for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water 4 to 6 times and adding 2 tablespoons salt to the water each time.

8. Add the remaining carrots and the whole mushrooms to the pot and continue to cook, covered, for 2 hours or until all the meat is tender. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a dish. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a bowl, and add the carrots, onions, and mushrooms to the meat; set the cooking liquid aside. Allow to cool, cover, then refrigerate the meat and the liquid separately overnight.

9. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150C). Remove the meat and the cooking liquid from the refrigerator. Discard the layer of fat from the sauce. Slice each rib piece in two. Remove the string from the shank and cut the meat into 4 pieces, reserving the bone.

10. Place all the meats and bone from the shank in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan, bring to a boil, and add about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour over the meat and vegetables, cover, and place in the oven for 1 hour, or until heated through.

11. Meanwhile, drain the marrow bones. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the marrow bones and poach gently for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the marrow is hot in the center when tested with a metal skewer and there is no resistance. Drain them on paper towels, then add them to the Dutch oven.

12. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, divide the meat and vegetables among four shallow soup bowls, giving each diner a piece of oxtail, shank, rib and a marrow bone. Ladle over the cooking liquid, and serve with fleur de sel.

Source: Bones: Recipes, History and Lore by Jennifer McLagan