AROMATIC BRAISED OXTAIL WITH PRESERVED LEMON POLENTA

Aromatic Braised Oxtail with Preserved Lemon Polenta image

Provided by Ming Tsai

Time 6h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

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12 oxtails
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ancho chile powder
1/4 cup salt
1/8 cup black pepper
2 chopped onions
2 chopped fennel
1/2 stalk chopped celery
1 large chopped carrot
10 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon minced ginger
4 stalks lemon grass, white part only, pounded and minced
2 cups red wine
8-ounce can of Roma tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Water to cover oxtails
3 cups polenta
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/2 cup fine dice preserved lemons
3 cups chicken stock
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter

Steps:

Mix flour, chile, salt and pepper and coat oxtails well. In a hot stock pot, coat bottom with oil and sear oxtails until all sides are browned. Pull out oxtails and wipe out stock pot. Saute onions, fennel, celery, carrots, garlic, ginger and lemon grass. Deglaze with wine and reduce. Add tomatoes, soy, thyme and bay. Add water to completely cover meat. Check for seasoning: the broth should taste well seasoned. Bring to boil then simmer on low heat for 3 hours. The meat should fall off of the bone. Remove oxtails and reduce sauce by 20 percent. Using a hand blender, puree sauce. Check for seasoning. Serve on top of polenta.
PRESERVED LEMON POLENTA: In a saucepan, saute shallots and ginger in 1 tablespoon of butter. Add polenta, lemons, stock, salt, pepper and butter. Check for seasoning. Stir well and cover tightly. Bake in 400 degree oven for 1 hour. A crust will form. Break through crust for polenta.