Oxtail

    • 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
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.