4 babute recipes

Babute is a South African curried beef bake with chopped dried apricots, bay leaves, and a rich egg custard poured over the top. Simple comfort food with exotic spice and fruity sweetness in every bite.

Maple-basted broiled bluefish: oily Atlantic fish brushed with pure maple syrup, allspice, salt, and pepper, broiled or grilled until lightly caramelized. New England seafood in 20 minutes.

Thick-cut pork chops stuffed with a caraway rye bread and mushroom filling, pan-seared golden then finished with a tangy vinegar pan sauce.

Oxtail is one of the most economical and most flavorful cuts of meat, and one that takes well to marinating for days in a hearty mixture of red wine, herbs, and vegetables. The longer you marinate the mixture, the more flavorful it will be, but be sure it marinates at least 3 days. Oxtail is also a fatty cut -- give yourself plenty of time to allow the stew to cook and then cool, so all the fat can be skimmed off. Serve this with thick noodles in warmed soup bowls, accompanied by a tossed salad, and of course, a robust red wine.