Oxtail Soup

An elegant puréed soup made with oxtails, carrots, celery, tomatoes, herbs and white wine.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 pounds oxtails
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
4 peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup seeded and chopped tomato
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white wine

Cooking Directions:

1. In a large kettle over medium-high heat, brown oxtails in oil. Add water, salt, and peppercorns; simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Cover and cook 3 more hours.
2. To the kettle, add chopped parsley, diced carrots, diced celery, bay leaf, chopped tomato, and thyme. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Strain the stock, discard the peppercorns and bay leaves. Refrigerate stock for an hour more.
3. In a blender, purée the meat and vegetables.
4. Remove from the refrigerated stock any fat from the top and reheat. Add the vegetable and meat mixture.
5. In a large, dry skillet, brown flour over high heat. Cool slightly, then add butter, blending well. Slowly add a little of the soup stock, mix well, then return to the kettle. Stir in white wine. Heat for about 5 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.