Coda alla Vaccinara, versione Slow (Cooker) HC#2

(English Version Below)

E’ uscito un mio nuovo articolo su Honest Cooking in cui racconto pregi, difetti e potenzialità di uno strumento di cottura molto conosciuto nel mondo anglosassone ma poco diffuso qui da noi: lo Slow Cooker. Potete trovare l’articolo QUI.

Come sta diventando mia consuetudine aggiungo qui la Versione Inglese della ricetta che accompagna l’articolo, quella della Coda alla Vaccinara, un piatto che sembra disegnato per la cottura nello Slow Cooker.

Coda alla Vaccinara  – Slow Cooker recipe

Ingredients (serves 4-6 people)

• 1 kg oxtail in segments
• 6-7 cloves
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• ½ onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 glass of white wine (or red)
• 400 grams of tomato puree (or drained fresh tomato pulp, chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 5-6 stalks of celery finely chopped
• 10-15 grams of grated dark chocolate

Method

• Bring a pot of water with the cloves in it to the boil, add the oxtail and let it simmer for about 45 minutes
• Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion. Stir- fry these in a pan with a little olive oil.
• In a separate pan, heat two tablespoons of oil, add the bay leaf and the pieces of tail and brown quickly all over. Pour in the wine a little at a time,  and allow to evaporate. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the meat and chopped vegetables to the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, mix in the tomato puree  and check salt.
• Cover and turn the slow cooker timer to 10 hours, selecting the low temperature setting (almost all of them have two settings, low and high, about 70 and 90 degrees respectively).
• Go into the office, to the movies, the gym or the supermarket …. However, avoid uncovering the pot  as much as possible, the low heat dissipates easily.
• At the end of this period add the celery and set the timer for another 2 hours. A few minutes before serving add the chocolate mixing well to melt.

NOTE  on SERVING:

Traditionally, the resulting tomato sauce is used to dress pasta, especially rigatoni. I have served it as a main dish on a bed of pappardelle (very large noodles), reflecting the traditional English and American way of serving meat stews with noodles on the side.

My Slow Cooker