spanish-style oxtails braised with chorizo

the june gloom in LA (go lakers!) has tricked me into thinking its a cold winter's night. so naturally, i wanted to eat something warm, comforting and hearty. i read this great braised oxtail recipe in The Gourmet Cookbook (the big fat yellow one...a GREAT book btw) and my mouth watered when i read it. if you havent tried braised oxtail before, it taste very similar to short ribs but with wayyyyy more flavor.

mise en place

spanish-style oxtails braised with chorizo
recipe from the gourmet cookbook
serves 6 to 8 (but if you are like me and love oxtail, it will most likely serve only 3)

6 lbs meaty oxtails (i got mine from costco)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (i used kosher)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 lb of mild spanish chorizo (make sure its the cured kind and not the fresh sausage)
1 (28-32oz) can whole tomatoes in puree (i used san marzano)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 turkish bay leaf or 1/2 california bay leaf (i used turkish)
1/2 teaspoon sweet or hot spanish smoked paprika
1 cup dry white wine

to serve:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

put a rack in lower third of oven and pre-heart oven to 350 degrees.pat oxtails dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. heat oil in an 8 to 9 quart heavy ovenproof pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. brown oxtails in batches without crowding, turning occasionally, about 5 mins per batch. transfer to a bowl. pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. set pot aside.
remove the casing from chorizo. finely chop chorizo in a food processor; transfer to a small bowl. add tomatoes, with their puree, to processor and coarsely chop.

cook chorizo, onion, carrots, garlic and bay leaf in fat remaining in pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 6 to 7 mins. add paprika and cook, stirring for 1 min. add wine and deglaze pot by bringing to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits add oxtails with any juice accumulated in bowl, and tomatoes (liquid should come about halfway up sides of meat; if necessary; add water) and bring to a boil.

cover pot, transfer to oven, and braise oxtails, turning once or twice, until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
skim fat from sauce. discard bay leaf and stir in parsley, cilantro, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

notes:
-the oxtails improve in flavor if braised 2 days ahead. cool in the pot, uncovered, then cover the surface with parchment or wax paper, cover the pot with the lid and refrigerate. remove any solidified fat before reheating. add the parsley, cilantro and vinegar just before serving.
-if you don't have a large ovenproof pan, you can braise the oxtails in a flameproof roasting pan. brown them in batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet, then transfer them to a roasting pan just large enough to hold them in one layer. cook the chorizo and veggies with the bay leaf in the skillet, then add paprika and wine, as above. add to the roasting pan, along with tomatoes, bring to a boil on the stovetop, and then cover tightly with a lid or foil and braise in the oven.

bon appétit~!