Some grape varieties are quite clearly designed by mother nature to be consumed as part of a carnivorous diet. Take sangiovese: the renowned Tuscan red grape, responsible for (among other famous wines) Chianti. It can be perfectly pleasant when taken on its own – especially if it’s from an Australian vineyard, where ample sunshine imbues it with ripe fruit flavours, or if it’s been made in a soft New World style by an Italian producer. But there’s a savouriness, a tannic grip to the grape – a dryness – that can taste a bit, well, dry and mean if drunk on its own, but that fills out, mellows and caresses the tongue if partnered with meat. Oxtail, with all its sticky richness, is a wonderful accompaniment to sangiovese. Add the salty sweetness of parmesan and the nutty, earthiness of rice and you have a match that is perfect for the cooler, (hopefully) damper weather. MAX ALLEN
The deep, meaty flavour of oxtail mellows the dryness of sangiovese, allowing the grape to caress the tongue.
Ingredients
Braised oxtail
Method
Main
1.For braised oxtail, preheat oven to 150C. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add oxtail and cook until brown (5-10 minutes), remove using a slotted spoon and keep warm. Add onions, celery, garlic and herbs and cook until celery is soft and onions start to colour (5-7 minutes). Return oxtail to the pan, add beef stock, sangiovese and 500ml of water and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook covered in oven until meat is falling off the bone (3-3½ hours). When cool enough to handle, pull meat from bone and discard bones. Strain sauce into a small saucepan and set oxtail and vegetables aside. Cool sauce to room temperature, skim off fat, bring to boil over medium heat and cook until reduced to 1 cup (10-15 minutes). Keep warm.
3.Combine parsley and lemon rind, and finely chop. Serve risotto scattered with parsley mixture, and drizzled with lemon juice and reduced oxtail sauce.
