Oxtail Stew: Rabo Encendido

Ingredients

• 5 pounds oxtails, cut in 2-inch thick rounds
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup Cajun seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 cup tardio (a sweet, late harvest wine made from the Torrentes grape), preferred brand, Santa Julia
• 1 large Spanish onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 Italian frying peppers, cut into large pieces
• 1 cup Malbec red wine
• 1 (10-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1 cup pisco (a Latin American grape brandy, similar to grappa)
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 bunch thyme, leaves removed and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Serving suggestions: yellow rice

Directions

Coat oxtail pieces with the flour and Cajun seasoning, and sear them in 2 tablespoons oil and remove from the pan. Degrease the pan, deglaze with tardio, and reserve for later use.

In a separate pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil and caramelize the onions, carrot, celery, and frying peppers, then deglaze with the red wine. Add the oxtail to the vegetables and then the reserved tardio. Add in the tomatoes, chipotles, pisco, bay leaves, and thyme, and stew for approximately 3 hours.

Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve with yellow rice