Story: Caroline's Braised Oyster Blade, Glaze and Ricotta Sage Dumplings
Episode: 11
Presenter: Caroline Taylor
Air Date: 27th August

Caroline cooks up a beautiful, rustic dish for the home that brings out the best in any budding cook.

RECIPE

Braised Oyster blade, glaze and ricotta, sage dumplings

Ingredients

Beef oyster blade

• 4 pieces oyster blade (roughly 500g)
• 2 peeled onions, in halves
• 2 carrots, halved
• Sprig thyme and 2 bay leaves
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbs veg oil
• 2 cups white wine
• 1L chicken stock
• Salt and pepper to season

Ricotta Dumplings

• 80g finely grated parmesan
• 230g bakers flour
• 450g drained ricotta cheese,
• drained overnight to get rid of any excess water.
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of nutmeg

Crispy sage garnish

• 200g salted butter
• A handful of picked sage leaves

Method

Beef oyster blade

1. Preheat oven to 160c
2. Seal off the beef and vegetables and add to a deep baking tray with garlic and thyme, add the veggies first to act as a trivet.
3. Add stock and wine until it’s just covering the meat and cover with a lid, if you don’t have a lid use baking paper and aluminium foil.
4. Cook at 160c for 4-5 hours until tender enough to pop a skewer into meat with zero resistance.
5. Remove meat and discard the veggies then place the baking pan on a flame and reduce liquid to a third, or until it’s nice and sticky.

Ricotta Dumplings

1. Bring a large stock-pot of salted water to the boil.
2. Combine grated parmesan, ricotta, flour and nutmeg in a bowl, bring together with your hand and form a ball. Dust your benchtop with flour and split the dough into two pieces, forming two thick snakes.
3. Cut into 1inch pillows and shape with your fingers however you want your dumplings to look.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, add your ricotta dumplings in and cook for 2 minutes, or until they float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out, set aside.

Crispy Sage garnish

1. Melt 200g salted butter in a small saucepan until it’s bubbling, then add a handful of picked sage leaves into the butter and cook until they look translucent use a spoon to keep them moving so they cook evenly, this will take about 2 minutes.
2. Use a slotted spoon to take them out and place on a paper towel, they should become crispy once cooled.

To serve

1. Place dumplings on the bottom of the plate and then add the oyster blade and spoon the glaze over the top, finishing with the crispy sage.