A Basque Dinner at Home

One of the best things in Bakersfield are the Basque restaurants. It's not like any food you'll find in the Basque region in northeastern Spain/southwestern France. Our friends recreated a typical meal common at the Basque restaurants.

The typical Basque meal starts with Vegetable Soup. You can add Salsa to it.

Some even add Baked Beans.

Cottage Cheese is another item served in the Basque restaurants, along with a Vegetable of the Day.

Pickled tongue is my favorite thing on the Basque menu. It's boiled beef tongue, sliced thin and marinated with Italian dressing.

Pasta is served next.

Other items include green salad, bread, French fries and blue cheese.

Our entree for the night was Oxtail Stew. This is another of my favorites and our friends' version was delicious! It was fall-off-the-bone tender and so flavorful. They agreed to share their recipe.

Oxtail Stew

4-5 lbs oxtail

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp vegetable oil

14-oz can tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp thyme

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 cans beef bouillon

1 can water

3 carrots, cut into 1” pieces

3 stalks celery, cut into 1” pieces

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup brandy

2/3 cup flour

Line cookie sheet with foil. Cut off as much fat from oxtail as possible. Roast oxtail at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once to brown both sides.

In stew pot, saute onion and garlic in oil on medium heat then add tomato sauce and oxtail. Add bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, bouillon and water. Bring to boil then simmer on low for 2 1/2 hours. Remove 1 cup of broth and cool.

Add carrots & celery to pot and cook another 30 minutes. Stir in wine and brandy and continue cooking another 15 minutes.

Add 2/3 cup flour to broth and add to pot. Cook for another 15 minutes.

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