Italian cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Coda alla Vaccinara

Roman braised oxtail in red wine and tomato, finished with celery, pine nuts and raisins.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1.5 kg oxtail, cut into pieces
• 1 bunch celery (with leaves)
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 400 g passata
• 300 ml red wine
• 40 g pine nuts
• 40 g raisins
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the oxtail in cold water, pat very dry and season all over with salt and pepper; finely dice the onions, carrots, three celery stalks and the garlic, and soak the raisins in lukewarm water.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy braising pot until very hot and sear the oxtail pieces in batches for 8–10 min. each, all over, until deep brown, then remove.
3. Sweat the root vegetables with the garlic in the fat over medium heat for 8 min. until soft, return the oxtail and deglaze with the red wine; let the wine reduce almost completely uncovered for 5 min.
4. Pour in the passata and 500 ml hot water, season with cinnamon, and braise covered over very low heat for 3 hrs. until the meat falls off the bone with a fork.
5. Cut the remaining celery stalks into 4 cm pieces, blanch for 3 min. in salted water, and add to the pot with the drained raisins and the pine nuts.
6. Braise everything uncovered for another 20 min. until the sauce is dark and syrupy on the spoon, season boldly and serve with plenty of sauce on a deep platter.