Coda alla vaccinara facts for kids
A plate of coda alla vaccinara
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| Alternative names | coda |
|---|---|
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Lazio |
| Serving temperature | Warm |
| Main ingredients | Oxtail, celery, carrot |
| Variations | Rigatoni al sugo di coda |
Coda alla vaccinara (pronounced KOH-dah ah-lah vah-chee-NAH-rah) is a famous oxtail stew from Rome, Italy. It's a hearty dish that includes lots of vegetables, especially celery. In Rome, oxtail is considered a special part of the animal, often called the quinto quarto, which means 'the fifth fourth'. This name came about because butchers would divide an animal into four main parts, and everything else, like the tail, was the "fifth" part.
Contents
What is Coda alla Vaccinara?
This delicious stew is a classic example of "poor man's cuisine" or "cucina povera." This means it was originally made by using parts of the animal that were less expensive or often given to workers as part of their pay. The butchers in Rome, called vaccinari, were known for making this dish.
How is it Made?
Making Coda alla vaccinara takes time and care, but the result is a rich and flavorful stew.
- First, the oxtail is partially cooked in boiling water. This helps to clean it and make it tender.
- Then, it's cooked slowly with lots of celery (usually about 1.5 kilograms of celery for every kilogram of tail), carrots, and tasty herbs.
- Tomatoes and red wine are added to the pot.
- Next, a mix of chopped onions, garlic, prosciutto (a type of cured ham), and pancetta (Italian bacon) is cooked slowly and added to the stew. This mix is called a soffritto.
- During the last part of cooking, a small bunch of bay leaves, celery stalks, and cloves, tied together (called a bouquet garni), is put into the pot for extra flavor.
- The stew cooks until the meat is so tender it easily falls off the bones.
- Finally, it's seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper, and often topped with pine nuts.
Sweet and Sour Flavors
Sometimes, Coda alla vaccinara has a special sweet-and-sour taste. This is often achieved by adding raisins, or sometimes even a little bit of candied fruit or dark chocolate. This mix of sweet and tangy flavors makes the dish even more interesting!
Serving Suggestions
Coda is usually prepared ahead of time and then reheated before serving. It's a perfect dish for a warm meal. If there are any leftovers, the rich sauce can be used to make a delicious pasta dish called rigatoni al sugo di coda.
A Bit of History
Coda alla vaccinara started with the vaccinari, who were the butchers in the Rione Regola area of Rome. This dish was so popular among them that the people living in that area were even nicknamed magnacode, which means 'tail-eaters' in the Roman dialect! Today, you can often find this traditional stew in the local restaurants, called trattorie, in areas like Testaccio and Trastevere in Rome.
In Popular Culture
This dish is so loved that it even appears in movies! In the Italian film Down and Dirty, coda is the favorite meal of the main character, Giacinto Mazzatella. He famously says, "Oxtail and celery are like man and woman. It's all well when one sticks to the other," showing how perfectly these ingredients go together.
See also
In Spanish: Coda alla vaccinara para niños
