Braised Ox Tail Lasagna

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Season the ox tail with salt and black pepper.
3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the ox tail until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the ox tail from the pot.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the red wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
7. Return the ox tail to the pot and add enough broth to cover the meat. Add the bay leaves and thyme. Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven.
8. Braise the ox tail for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and falls apart easily.
9. Remove the pot from the oven and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, discarding the solids. Skim off any excess fat that rises to the surface.
10. Bring the broth to a boil and cook until it has reduced to a demi-glace, stirring occasionally, about 10-15 minutes.
11. Shred the ox tail into bite-sized pieces and mix with some of the reduced broth.
12. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
13. In a medium saucepan, combine the bechamel sauce and demi-glace. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and heated through.
14. To assemble the lasagna, spread a layer of the vegetable cream on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange 4 lasagna noodles on top.
15. Spread half of the shredded ox tail mixture over the noodles, followed by half of the bechamel sauce mixture. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan cheese and half of the Arzúa-Ulloa cheese.
16. Repeat the layers, starting with the noodles, then the remaining ox tail mixture, the remaining bechamel sauce mixture, and finally the remaining parmesan and Arzúa-Ulloa cheese.
17. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the lasagna is heated through.