Oxtail Soup
I was off on Monday and since it was darkish and coldish outside, I decided I would make my favorite soup, an oxtail soup that my dad was a master at making. We always use the same vegetables, something about the combination with the oxtail, there's nothing like it!
(For those of you freaking out over the word "oxtail," calm down, it's just beef. I definitely don't recommend substituting it with any other cut of beef, especially for this recipe - the flavor you get from slow-cooked oxtail is unbeatable.)
This soup simmers for hours and is the kind of soup that only gets better with each bowl. Each time you reheat it, it gets thicker, the flavors get richer... it's just the greatest.
You Will Need:
1 large stockpot
5-6 pieces of oxtail (fresh or frozen)
2 onions
3 carrots
4 stalks of celery
2 tomatoes
potatoes (I used a handful of baby reds, but you can also use russets)
1 can tomato paste
1/2 head of cabbage
salt, to taste
Directions:
1. Bring about 4 cups of water to a boil (just enough to cover the oxtails), add oxtails to boiling water for approx 1 minute (until oxtails turn color), drain water and add fresh water to stockpot (fill to about 5 inches from the top)
2. Rinse and chop vegetables coarsely (you want them to be bite sized)
3. Bring water with oxtails back to a boil, add onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes and lower to a simmer.
4. Add tomato paste and let simmer for one hour.
5. Add 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped coarsely and allow to simmer until soup has thickened, about 3-4 hours.
As far as seasoning is concerned, salt is all this stuff needs. Everyone typically likes to salt this soup to their own taste, so I don't add it when I'm making it. It's an awesome flavor all on its own, so some go without.
(For those of you freaking out over the word "oxtail," calm down, it's just beef. I definitely don't recommend substituting it with any other cut of beef, especially for this recipe - the flavor you get from slow-cooked oxtail is unbeatable.)
This soup simmers for hours and is the kind of soup that only gets better with each bowl. Each time you reheat it, it gets thicker, the flavors get richer... it's just the greatest.
You Will Need:
1 large stockpot
5-6 pieces of oxtail (fresh or frozen)
2 onions
3 carrots
4 stalks of celery
2 tomatoes
potatoes (I used a handful of baby reds, but you can also use russets)
1 can tomato paste
1/2 head of cabbage
salt, to taste
Directions:
1. Bring about 4 cups of water to a boil (just enough to cover the oxtails), add oxtails to boiling water for approx 1 minute (until oxtails turn color), drain water and add fresh water to stockpot (fill to about 5 inches from the top)
2. Rinse and chop vegetables coarsely (you want them to be bite sized)
3. Bring water with oxtails back to a boil, add onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and potatoes and lower to a simmer.
4. Add tomato paste and let simmer for one hour.
5. Add 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped coarsely and allow to simmer until soup has thickened, about 3-4 hours.
As far as seasoning is concerned, salt is all this stuff needs. Everyone typically likes to salt this soup to their own taste, so I don't add it when I'm making it. It's an awesome flavor all on its own, so some go without.
My last (and greatest) bowl of the day.
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