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Heat
oven to 300°.
Heat
2 tbsp. olive oil in a 12-quart heavy ovenproof stockpot over
medium heat. Season oxtails with salt and pepper. Dredge oxtails
with flour, shaking off excess. Reserve flour. Add oxtails
to stockpot and brown until golden, about 5 minutes per side.
Remove
oxtails from stockpot and place on a plate. Add 1 more tablespoon
olive oil to stockpot and add onions, carrots, celery and
garlic. Stir vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
Add thyme,
rosemary, peppercorns, bay leaves and cloves, stir and cook
for another 2 minutes. Add reserved flour and stir to coat
vegetables. Stir in wine, stock and tomatoes and cook for
another 2 minutes. Add
tomato paste and stir.
Return
oxtails to stockpot, cover and place in oven. Cook oxtails
for 3 hours.
Turn
heat off and leave stockpot in oven. One hour before service,
turn oven back on to 300°. After 45 minutes, carefully
remove oxtails from pot and place on a plate. Cover oxtails
with foil to keep warm. Heat a 4-quart saucepan over medium
heat. Strain oxtail braising liquid into saucepan, removing
vegetables. Cook sauce for 10-15 minutes to thicken and reduce.
To make
the creamy polenta, heat the water or stock to a boil in a
deep saucepan over medium heat. Add the salt and reduce the
heat to a gentle simmer. Slowly add the cornmeal in a slow
stream, constantly stirring with a whisk. Cook the polenta
over medium low heat for 25 minutes, stirring frequently with
a wooden spoon. Add additional stock or water if the polenta
is too thick.
When polenta is done, immediately spoon onto a plate. Top
with 2-3 pieces of oxtail. Spoon sauce over oxtails.
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