- 1¼ kg oxtail , jointed
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 2-3 olive oil
- 1 large carrot , roughly chopped
- 1 turnip, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- a few sprigs thyme
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp tomato purée
- 300ml red wine
- 1.2l beef stock
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- a handful flat-leaf parsley
- Trim excess fat from the oxtail pieces. In a shallow bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the flour with salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a large, heavy-based pan until hot. Coat the oxtail pieces with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, and fry for 2-21/2 minutes on each side until evenly browned, then remove from the pan.
- 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 if necessary. Stir frequently for another minute or two.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape the base of the pan with a wooden spoon. 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, carefully move 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 tbsp 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.