Meat mains
Oxtail pappardelle
Oxtail requires long slow cooking to bring out its succulence and tenderness. You needn't be exact about your veggies - use up the odd carrot and onion left in your veg box. If you have a leek left, use this instead of the onion. This pasta sauce re-heats brilliantly, so you could cook it in advance at the weekend and eat it with the pasta for a quick midweek supper.
Ingredients
- oil for frying, e.g. sunflower
- 500g oxtail
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 celery stick , finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
- 1 dried chilli, finely chopped or crumbled, or use a good pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 200ml red wine
- 200ml stock
- zest of 1 small orange
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
- 250g pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
- salt and pepper
Method
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 150°C/Gas 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large flame and oven proof casserole dish. Brown the oxtail all over then remove and put to one side.
-
Step 2
Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, then add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Gently fry for about 5 minutes, until softened, then add the chilli, star anise, bay leaf, red wine and stock.
-
Step 3
Return the oxtail to the pan and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover, then transfer to the oven for 3 hours.
-
Step 4
To make the gremolata, gently stir the orange zest, parsley and garlic in a large bowl
-
Step 5
Once the oxtail is cooked, remove from the oven. Take out the oxtail pieces and leave until just cool enough to handle, then pick the meat from the bone, discarding the bone. Put the casserole dish on the hob and reduce the sauce slightly if needed.
-
Step 6
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, then stir it together with the oxtail meat and just enough sauce to coat. Sprinkle over the gremolata to serve.
