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This old-fashioned, rustic and hearty soup has been popular since the 18th century and makes good use of a cheaper cut of beef. It is ideal for warming up friends and family on a cold day.

1 tbsp plain flour Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.5kg (3lb 5oz) oxtail, cut into 3 cm (1¼in) pieces and trimmed of excess fat

2–3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

3 sticks of celery, trimmed and finely sliced

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of thyme

6 peppercorns

2 cloves

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 litres (3½ pints) beef stock (see page 326)

1 Sift the flour onto a large plate, season with salt and pepper and toss the oxtail pieces in the flour to coat evenly. Place a large saucepan or casserole dish on a high heat, add 1–2 tablespoons of the oil and fry the oxtail pieces in batches, adding more oil if necessary, for 4–5 minutes in total, or until they are well browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2 Add the onion, carrots and celery, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook on a gentle heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft but not browned.

3 Return the oxtail to the pan and add the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, cloves, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper, pour in the stock and bring slowly to the boil, skimming off any frothy impurities that rise to the surface. Reduce the heat to very low, cover with the lid and gently simmer for about 3 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Continue to occasionally skim off any impurities as well as any melted fat.

4 Remove from the heat and strain through a colander over a large bowl to catch the liquid. Tip the meat and vegetables into a large, shallow bowl and leave to cool a little. Add a few ice cubes to the liquid and wait for the fat to solidify and rise to the top, before removing and discarding it. Once the meat and vegetables are cool enough to handle, discard the bay leaf and thyme stalks (the cloves will be blended into the soup later) and remove the meat from the oxtail bones.

5 Pour the liquid into a blender with the reserved vegetables and two-thirds of the meat (you may have to do this in batches) and blitz to a smooth soup, then return to the pan. Add the remaining chunks of meat and bring slowly to the boil. Check the seasoning and serve immediately.