Braised Oxtail - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 kg oxtails
50 g beef drippings (OK, I use olive oil)
2 medium onions, sliced (200g approx)
25 g plain flour
500 ml water or 500 ml beef stock
salt and pepper
bouquet garni
2 cloves
1 leaf mace
1/2 lemon, juice of

Preparation

Wash oxtail, dry it thoroughly, trim off excess fat. Joint it if necessary. Divide the thick parts in half.
Heat the dripping in a stewpan. Fry the pieces of oxtail until browned all over, then remove them from the pan and put to one side. Fry the onions slowly until browned. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Gradually add the water or stock, then add the seasoning, bouquet garni and spices and stir until boiling. Return the pieces of oxtail to the pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Remove the meat and arrange it on a warmed serving dish. Add the lemon juice to the sauce and re-season if required. Strain the sauce and pour it over the oxtail. Garnish with bread croutons, julienne striped of cooked carrot and turnip.