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Oxtail soup

Oxtail is still a relatively cheap cut, and the gelatinous nature of the meat makes it ideal for soups and stews. I remember it as one of my favourite soups when I was growing up, and I think it’s a shame this warming and delicious soup isn’t as popular as it used to be.

SERVES 4

1 oxtail, about 1.5kg, jointed

4 tbsp plain flour

2-3 tbsp olive oil

1 large carrot, roughly chopped

1 turnip, roughly chopped

1 celery stalk, roughly chopped

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

few sprigs of thyme

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp tomato purée 300ml red wine

1.2 litres hot beef stock (see page 259)

2 tbsp butter, softened handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Trim off any excess fat from the oxtail pieces. In a shallow bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the flour with some salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based or cast-iron pan until hot. Coat the oxtail pieces with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, and fry for 2-2½ minutes on each side until evenly browned all over. Remove the oxtail to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the chopped vegetables, herbs and peppercorns. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the tomato purée and remaining seasoned flour, adding a little more oil as necessary. Stir frequently for another minute or 2.

Pour in the red wine and scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge the sediment. Boil for a few minutes. Return the oxtail to the pan and pour in the stock to cover. Bring to a simmer and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Partially cover the pan and cook gently for 3 hours until the oxtail is very tender and comes off the bone easily. With a pair of kitchen tongs, lift out the oxtail pieces to a large bowl and leave to cool slightly.

Strain the cooking stock through a fine sieve into a clean pan, pushing down on the vegetables with the back of a ladle to extract as much liquid as possible. Pull the meat from the oxtail and shred into small pieces. To thicken the stock, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour with the butter, then whisk into the simmering stock, a little at a time. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup, then add the shredded meat to the pan to warm through. Sprinkle with lots of chopped parsley before serving.