October 24th, 2011

Oxtail Soup

Today, as I waited to hear the results of #3 son's back surgery, I distracted myself by emptying and rearranging the freezer portion of the fridge, and while doing so came across a package of Oxtails.

Are Oxen a rare species, - certainly the cost of their tails is in the rarified atmosphere, somewhere close to the price of rubies!!!  But they do make delicious soup - the tails, that is.  I'm not sure of the whole oxen, - don't have a pot large enough!

The recipe I found online (why did I need an online recipe, - the one in the Purity Cook Book, circa 1920 is quite adequate)...nevertheless, the online recipe advised that one should cut the oxtail into one inch chunks.  That was beyond me, - the bony part wouldn't co-operate, - so I floured and seasoned the pieces as they came from the Supermarket, browned them in some drippings and thought about what a delicious supper this soup was going to make.

Some nice diced and sauted onion,  a couple of carrots and a stick of celery, a bay leaf, some thyme from the pot at the back door and a few sprigs of parsley tied up in a cheesecloth bag (what a time I had finding the cheesecloth after the big move...) a bit of beef broth and six cups of water, and I put it all on to simmer in my nice new red soup pot.  Oh yes, I diced up a lovely fresh tomato as well, as I couldn't find any tomato paste.

Then I went away and saw Charles off to town, turned on the DVD and watched a video of the garden, sighing occasionally at the view we exchanged for the convenience and pleasures of town life.

Three hours later what an appealing odour filled the house - who knew ox tails could smell so delicious.

Supper is all ready, beautiful and tantalizing, and Happy Hour is upon us.

We still wait to hear about Sid's surgery, which the surgeon didn't get to until this afternoon......