I love history and Ancient Rome is one my favorite periods. I always wondered what people ate in ancient times. I found this recipe in several forms on the internet.
This is a simple and hearty dish that will make you feel like you are dining in a tavern of ancient Rome among rugged legionnaires and legates.
Most oxtails recipes are complicated and require a lot of time. This dish is easy to make. As any stew it does take awhile to cook but preparation is simple and requires few ingredients.
Recipe for 3-4 people
Prep time: 3 Hours Cooking time: 2.5 Hours
Ingredients:
- Oxtails with some fat on – about 3 lb
- 1 cup of red wine (I prefer Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 2 cups of tomato or marinara sauce (I prefer marinara as it gives more flavor)
- 2 Bay leafs
- 1.5 teaspoons of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of red cayenne pepper (less of you want less heat)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons of Olive oil
Preparation:
Wash oxtails and pet dry. Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a large deep skillet or pan. Place oxtails and cook for about 30 seconds on each side until the meat turns pale grey.
Lower the heat and add wine, tomato/marinara sauce, pepper, cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, bay leafs, and sail. Make sure the oxtails are evenly covered with sauce. Mix the ingredients well.
Set heat to medium and let it simmer slightly. When the sauce starts simmering, set the heat to low, cover and cook for 2.5 hours. Stir every 30 min or so.
The meat should be pealing off the bones when ready.
Enjoy with nice full wine (I find Merlot or Malbec goes well) and a side of pasta or (my favorite) buckwheat.
Enjoy!!!
FlowHound 