Rump of beef with cromesquis of oxtail and foie gras, roasted red onions and confit portobello mushrooms

Ingredients

• ½ oxtail
• 1 cup+ 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 portobello mushrooms, peeled
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 small red onions, peeled and halved
• ¼ cup port
• 1 tsp red currant jelly
• 2 oz foie gras, cut into four pieces
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 0.66 cup flour
• 0.66 cup dried bread crumbs
• 4 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
• 4 portions rump of beef, 5 oz each
• 0.33 cup red wine jus
• Deep-fried parsley, for garnish

1. This recipe calls for red currant jelly, which is available at specialty food stores.
2. Cut oxtail into a few sections at the joints. In a heavy-bottomed ovenproof pan, heat 5 tsp of the olive oil on high heat. Add oxtail and roast for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove oxtail and add carrots, onion, celery, 2 cloves of garlic and one of the sprigs of thyme, and cook until vegetables are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Return the oxtail to the pan and deglaze with % cup of the wine.
3. Preheat the oven to 275°F.
4. Cover the oxtail with water and bring it to a boil. Cover the pan and place it in the oven for 2 to 3 hours, until meat is falling from bone.
5. Remove all of the meat from the bone and break it down into small pieces. Place the oxtail meat into a small saucepan and strain the braising liquid onto it. Cook on medium heat until all of the liquid has evaporated. Allow to set overnight in the refrigerator.
6. In a baking dish, combine mushrooms, 1 cup of the olive oil, rosemary, the remaining sprig of thyme and the 2 remaining cloves of garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until tender.
7. In a medium ovenproof saute pan, heat 2 tsp of the olive oil on medium heat. Add red onions, cut-side down, and sear for 2 minutes, then roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until two-thirds cooked. Remove from the oven, add port, red currant jelly and the remaining 1/3 cup of wine, and slowly baste for 5 to 6 minutes over medium heat until glazed.
8. Surround each piece of foie gras with a quarter of the oxtail mixture and form into golf ball-sized rounds.
9. Beat together egg and egg yolk with a pinch of salt to make an egg wash. Dredge the oxtail rounds first in flour, then in egg wash, then in bread crumbs. Repeat. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or a deep pot to 350°F. Add oxtail rounds and deep fry for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the oil and allow to drain on paper towels.
10. In a large, ovenproof saute pan, heat butter and the remaining 2 tsp of olive oil. Add beef and sear for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
11. Remove mushrooms from olive oil. Heat a medium non-stick pan on high heat and sear mushrooms, cap-side down, until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cut each mushroom into 6 to 7 slices.