RECIPE: Slow-cooked oxtail

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 oxtail , portioned

30ml (2 tbsp) cake flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

45ml (2 tbsp) oil

125g streaky bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rings

2-3 large celery sticks, sliced

15ml (1 tbsp) tomato paste

250ml (1 cup) beef stock, plus extra if needed

250ml (1 cup) red wine

A bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 4 peppercorns, 4 sprigs fresh parsley and 4 cloves, tied together in a muslin bag)

Strip of orange peel

15ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice

12 small pickling onions, peeled

Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Method:

1. Coat the  oxtail  in seasoned flour and preheat oil in a large oven-proof casserole.
2. Brown the meat on all sides. Remove from the casserole and set aside.
3. Add bacon to pan and fry until crisp.
4. Add onion, carrot and celery and fry until just soft.
5. Add tomato paste and return oxtail to casserole.
6. Add stock, wine and bouquet garni.
7. Cover and simmer for 3-4 hours on the stove, or transfer to the oven and bake at 160ºC for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more stock if necessary. After 2½ hours, add the orange peel and pickling onions and return to the heat.
8. Before serving, remove bouquet garni and peel. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with mash.