Oxtail Stew

Preparation time: 1/2 hour preparation, 4 hours of slow cooking, plus sitting overnight and then reheating.

Ingredients

3 lbs oxtails with separated joints
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups stock
1 cup water
2 cups of red wine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 to 3 cups chopped vegetables - carrots, celery, parsnips, turnips
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup tomato paste
Seasoning - salt and pepper, a pinch of thyme, one bay leaf

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season oxtails with salt and pepper. Sear in a 5 or 6 quart dutch oven (or other tightly covered casserole dish) on all sides until golden brown. You may need to sear the oxtails in separate batches. Add 1/4 cup of the chopped onion, cook until translucent.

2 In a separate pan, heat stock, water, and wine together. Add stock mixture to meat in casserole pan. Add a teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to simmer.

3 Place in oven and cook, covered, for 3 hours. Remove from oven, add vegetables, the rest of the onion, raisins, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf. Return to the oven and cook for another hour.

4 Remove from oven, let sit for a few minutes, and skim as much fat as you can from the surface.

Serves 4-6.