Roman Oxtail Stew (Coda alla Vaccinara)

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Ingredients:

1 Kg. oxtails, cut into pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
100g pancetta or guanciale, minced
2 ribs celery
2 cloves garlic
1 medium carrot
1 small white onion
1 dried bay leaf
1 can chopped tomatoes
400 ml white wine
2 tsp Zibaldone

For the sauce:

3 celery ribs
20g pine nuts
30g sultanas
1 tsp dark cocoa

Procedure:


Heat oil in a 5-qt. cast iron pan if you have a lot of time, or a pressure cooker, if you are in a hurry over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and stir fry until browned; then add oxtails and cook, turning often, until browned.

Add minced celery, cloves, garlic, carrots, onions, and bay leaf into Dutch oven and cook, stirring, until soft, 5–6 minutes.

Add the white wine and cook until completely evaporated.

Add chopped tomatoes, the Zibaldone, salt and pepper and half a glass of water. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, covered, for 2 hours checking regularly and adding some more water if necessary. In the pressure cooker the dish should be ready in about 45 minutes.

In the meantime cut the remaining celery into strips then cook it into boiling water for about two minutes.

Soak the currants into hot water for ten minutes or so and then drain.

Once the meat is tender take a spoon of the sauce and put it in a bowl, add the teaspoon of dark cocoa and dissolve it thoroughly.

Add the sauce back into the pan together with the blanched celery, pine-nuts and currants. Cook for a further 15 minutes.

Serve piping hot with mashed potatoes or polenta as a side.

This dish works extremely well in a slow cooker, just after the white wine has evaporated transfer all ingredients to the slow cooker and cook for about 8 hours.