Oxtail

Ingredients

8 pieces of oxtail
2 onions, chopped finely
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 leek, chopped finely
3 sticks of celery, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic
8 whole tomatoes
4 sprigs of thyme (or 4 tsp dried thyme)
1 bayleaf
275ml/1/2 pint Guinness (red wine can be used instead)
1.75 litres/3 pints veal, beef or oxtail stock
salt & pepper
chopped parsley

Method

1. Fry the oxtail until browned all over and a lot of fat has been released
2. Set aside
3. Reserve 1 tblsp of fat and stir fry onions, carrots, leek and celery
4. Add garlic, tomatoes, thyme and bayleaf
5. When they have started to turn brown return the oxtail to the pan with the Guinness/red wine and the stock
6. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat , cover and simmer very gently for at least 1 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender
7. Remove the pieces of oxtail and set aside
8. Pour the soup through a fine sieve, push the vegetables through and discard the tomato skins and fibrous debris
9. Meat the meat from the oxtail, add to the soup and reheat
10. Taste and adjust the seasoning
11. Garnish with parsley

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 2 hours