Red Wine & Fig Braised Oxtail with Creamy Pecorino Polenta

Pat the oxtail dry and sear thoroughly in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven until deep brown on all sides.

Remove meat and sauté a mirepoix of onion, carrot, and celery until softened and caramelized.

Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.

Return oxtail to the pot, add beef stock and dried figs, then cover and braise in a 160C oven for 3 hours until the meat falls off the bone.

Carefully remove meat from the liquid and reduce the braising juices on the stovetop until it reaches a nappe (coat the spoon) consistency.

For the polenta, whisk cornmeal into boiling salted water, then stir constantly over low heat for 30 minutes until creamy.

Stir the grated Pecorino Romano and a knob of butter into the polenta immediately before serving.

Assemble by plating a generous scoop of polenta, topping with oxtail, and drizzling with the reduced fig-wine glaze.