With the thread today about warm weather foods, especially soup, here's our favorite oxtail soup recipe. It is amazing. There are so many flavor levels and it's amazingly rich. Enjoy!
2 lbs. oxtails, cut into 1½-in. pieces
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (16-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained, or equivalent quantity of home-canned tomatoes, with liquid
1 (10½-oz.) can condensed beef broth or equivalent quantity of homemade broth
½ cup water
½ cup dry red wine
1 tsp. granulated sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. dried thyme, bruised
1 bay leaf
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into julienned strips
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into julienned strips
½ cup frozen peas
Trim visible fat from oxtails and dust with flour. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, brown oxtails in hot oil. Add onion, tomatoes with juice, beef broth, water, wine, sugar, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours or until meat is just tender. Skim off excess fat. Add carrots and parsnips; cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add peas; cook about 5 minutes or until peas are heated through. Serve immediately. Note: Don't be tempted to leave the parsnips out. They add an important flavor "note" to the soup. Even people who don't like parsnips, like this soup.
KATIE’S FAVORITE OXTAIL SOUP
(Serves 4)
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (16-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained, or equivalent quantity of home-canned tomatoes, with liquid
1 (10½-oz.) can condensed beef broth or equivalent quantity of homemade broth
½ cup water
½ cup dry red wine
1 tsp. granulated sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. dried thyme, bruised
1 bay leaf
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into julienned strips
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into julienned strips
½ cup frozen peas
Trim visible fat from oxtails and dust with flour. In a soup pot or Dutch oven, brown oxtails in hot oil. Add onion, tomatoes with juice, beef broth, water, wine, sugar, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 hours or until meat is just tender. Skim off excess fat. Add carrots and parsnips; cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add peas; cook about 5 minutes or until peas are heated through. Serve immediately. Note: Don't be tempted to leave the parsnips out. They add an important flavor "note" to the soup. Even people who don't like parsnips, like this soup.