Maxim Magazine’s Top 5 Best Dinners, #2 Spur Tree’s Oxtail Stew

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  I was having my usual sorrel & ginger beer at Spur Tree catching up with owner/chef Sean John and I see a Maxim magazine on the bar. The Braised Oxtail is the 2011 #2 Best Dinners in America according to Maxim. And reggae artist  Sean Paul wrote the review  “When I’m in New York, I like Spur Tree down on the Lower East Side for authentic Jamaican food. It’s a small restaurant, but the taste of the food is huge. It keeps me coming back, especially when I’m homesick. They do an oxtail Jamaican-style, so it’s braised and stewed down. The meat’s really tender, and it’s served with a really thick sauce and rice and peas covered in gravy. It’s bone-lickin’ good. I was home recently and thought, Lemme make some oxtail. I did, but it wasn’t as good as theirs.”

I coax Sean outside and ask him the small story with Maxim, new items on the menu, we happily sample the new Jamaican-asian mini-jerk steam pork buns..so good….so good..u cant go wrong. ..and where the name Spur Tree originates. 2011 is Sean’s year. He was also selected by MACY\’s as 1 of the Top NYC Chefs.

SPUR TREE’s Sean John prepares Ackee & Cod Bruschetta @ MACY’S

SPUR TREE’s Sean John Prepares Ackee & Cod Bruschetta @ MACY’S

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Spur Tree was selected by MACY’s Culinary Council as one of NYC’s hottest restaurants and Owner/Chef Sean John was asked to prepare a dish for Black History Month @ MACY’s department store’s kitchen studio. He is preparing a Jamaican national dish with coco bread: Ackee and Cod Bruschetta. I included the recipe for us all to try at home.  Visit Sean at 76 Orchard Street (btwn Broome & Grand Streets) http://www.spurtreelounge.com/

Ingredients:

1 lb (500g) of salted cod

2 dozen fresh ackee pods or 3 cups (12 oz/350g) canned ackee

1 scotch bonnet or jalapeno chili, deseeded and sliced

2 spring onions

1 medium onion

1 medium tomato

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 loaves of coco bread

4 cherry tomatoes (for garnish)
DIRECTIONS:

1.Soak the salted cod in cold water for 3o minutes, then drain and place in a pan with 4 cups (1 liter) of water. Bring to a boil, drain, then break the fish into flakes with a fork. Set aside.

2. If using fresh ackee, romove them from the pods. Discard the seeds and gently remove the pink membranes with a sharp knife. Parboil the pegs of ackee by covering them with salted water in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat, drain and set aside.

3. Set up a large skillet over medium heat and heat oil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the chili, sring onions, and onion and sute until tender. Add the salted cod, ackee, tomato and black pepper and cover low heat for minutes.

4. Open coco bread loaves and cut into 4 triangles. Warm in the oven for 1-2 minutes and plate.

5. Spoon the ackee and cod onto bread triangles and top with a halved cherry tomato.

Serves 4. Preparation time: 45 minutes, Cooking time: 15 minutes.