OXTAIL BRAISED WITH TOMATO AND CELERY (CODA ALLA VACCINARA)

Oxtail Braised With Tomato and Celery (Coda Alla Vaccinara) image

Ms. Hesser brought us this recipe for the classic Roman stew back in 2002 after she visited Rome with her family. Oxtails are a fatty and tough cut of meat, but here, a lengthy braise yields a rich, unctuous sauce seasoned with cinnamon, clove and marjoram. It's delicious by itself or served over a hearty pasta, like rigatoni. And don't be deterred by the large amount of celery the recipe calls for. It reduces to a flavorful pulpy slurry that will surprise you.

Provided by Amanda Hesser

Time 3h30m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 carrot, peeled, finely diced
1 small onion, peeled, finely diced
4 inner stalks celery, 1 finely diced, 3 sliced into 3-inch-long pieces
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds oxtail (trimmed weight), severed at each joint into pieces about 3 inches long
Sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups white wine
3 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (28-ounce) can peeled Italian tomatoes, drained

Steps:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a deep, heavy casserole or pot that can fit all the oxtails in one layer, combine pancetta, carrot, onion and diced celery and enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan (about 3 tablespoons).
Place pan over medium heat and cook until pancetta renders its fat, about 15 minutes. Season oxtails on all sides with salt and pepper, add to the casserole and brown well on all sides, turning them only after they've browned. Using tongs, remove oxtails from pan and place in a bowl. Set aside.
Add the tomato paste to the vegetables in the casserole and cook, stirring, until paste caramelizes, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and mix. Heat to boiling and cook 3 minutes. Add marjoram, cloves and cinnamon and then tomatoes, squishing them between your fingers as they fall into the pan.
Return oxtails to pan. Liquid must be as high as one-third of the ingredients. If not, add a little water. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover pan and place in oven. Braise for 1 1/2 hours, turning the oxtails now and then.
Add the remaining celery, then continue cooking until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 30 to 60 minutes longer.
Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a large platter or in shallow bowls, making sure everyone gets a bit of the pulpy sauce and celery.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 795, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 56 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 46 grams, SaturatedFat 20 grams, Sodium 1197 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams