SERVES 6 TO 8
Oxtail is a tough but flavorful cut of meat that becomes very tender when cooked slowly. This Hawaiian version of oxtail soup is thin and light. The toppings are reminiscent of a Vietnamese pho. Traditionally this soup calls for peanuts but due to their creamy nature, cashews are a perfect Paleo substitute.
Oxtail bones have a lot of collagen, which makes for a gelatinous stock. Gelatin has many benefits, including improving digestion and soothing the GI tract.
INGREDIENTS
3 lbs/1 kg oxtail
1 strip orange peel (zest, not the pith)
4 cloves garlic
3 star anise
2-inch/5-cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
1 tbsp/15 g sea salt
½ cup/85 g cashews
filtered water
1 tbsp/15 ml apple cider vinegar
1 bunch mustard greens
¼ tsp chili pepper flakes
FOR GARNISH:
coconut aminos
fresh cilantro
scallions, chopped
fresh ginger, grated
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Place oxtail, orange peel, garlic cloves, star anise, ginger, salt and cashews in a slow cooker. Cover with filtered water. Add 1 tablespoon/15 ml of apple cider vinegar. Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours. Allow the soup to cool. Move to a stockpot with a lid and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
By the next day, the fat will have solidified. Pull the fat off the oxtail and remove the star anise, orange peel and ginger. Bring the soup to a simmer. Add the mustard greens and the chili pepper flakes. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until mustard greens are tender. The meat can either be stripped from the bones before serving or the oxtails can be served bone in. Serve with coconut aminos, fresh cilantro, chopped green onions and freshly grated ginger for garnish.
CHEF’S TIP
For best results, trim oxtail of any excess fat. Better yet, ask your butcher to trim it for you!
