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1
Heat the oil or fat in a heavy pot.
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2
Salt the meats lightly, and brown on all sides.
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3
Remove the meat (or push it aside if your pot is big enough), and saute the onion and carrot for a few minutes.
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4
Splash in the red wine and reduce for a minute, then tuck the meat back in among the vegetables, nestling in the herb packet as well.
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5
Pour on enough water to cover the meats by 2 inches, and simmer, covered, for 2 1/2hours.
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6
Add the additional vegetables, and a little more water if they are not well covered, and simmer until tenderabout 20 minutes.
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7
For my first meal, I have the shank surrounded by the vegetables with a little of the cooking liquid on top.
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8
If I have some on hand, a Winter Green Sauce (page 159) is particularly good with this.
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9
I reserve for later any meat I cant finish.
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10
Spoon most of the oxtails into a warm wide, shallow bowl into which youve dished up a generous serving of grits or polenta (see pages 196 and 193).
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11
Pour a small ladleful of the flavorful beef broth over, thickened, if you like, with a little cornstarch or instant flour.
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12
If you want to jazz up the dish, make a small amount of the gremolata (see page 249) that is used for veal shanksjust a teaspoon sprinkled on top is enough.
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13
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and start cooking 23 ounces of penne or ziti.
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14
Meanwhile, scrape off from the bones whatever meat remains, and chop it up.
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15
Strain the rich cooking broth into containers for freezing, reserving the vegetables.
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16
Heat a little olive oil in a medium skillet, and lightly saute a thin-sliced garlic clove for a minute.
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17
Add the strained veggies, the chopped-up meat, and about 1/4 cup tomato sauce (or, if you dont have any, use a tablespoon tomato paste and some of the pasta water).
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18
Scoop up the pasta when done, and mix it with the sauce in the skillet, adding more pasta water if needed.
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19
Turn off the heat, and fold in a small handful of grated Parmesan.
