Rustic, Spice-Infused Oxtail Soup

This is a hearty recipe that is perfect for chilly nights.  Unlike more traditional oxtail soup recipes, this one features full-bodied, spicy coriander, cardamom and cumin with a touch of sweet cinnamon.  It freezes beautifully and is a welcomed meal on any winter night. 

Note: If you prepare the dish and then refrigerate it, an oil layer will coagulate at the top.  Simply spoon it off and reheat for a healthier dish.

Oxtail Soup

Ingredients

• 2 pounds oxtail, cut into 1″ segments
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2″ knob of ginger, peeled and diced
• 1 – 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 carrot, cut into 1″ rounds
• 1 parsnip, cut into roughly 1″ rounds
• 5 small red potatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 yam, cut into roughly 1″ cubes
• 1 sweet apple, cored and chopped
• 1 – 14 ounce can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

1. If you’re preparing this recipe in a Dutch oven, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. If you’re using a slow cooker, get it ready by plugging it in and setting it to its lowest setting.
2. Brown the oxtail in a very hot pan. Remove to a large Dutch oven or slow cooker.
3. Add the olive oil to the pan you browned the oxtail in and turn the heat to medium. Once the oil shimmers, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, making sure to scrape along the bottom and get up all the meaty bits that stuck to the pan while you were browning the meat. Cook the onions just until they start to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir the garlic and ginger into the onions and cook for another minute, until the garlic and ginger become extremely fragrant. Pour onions, ginger and garlic into Dutch oven on top of the oxtail.
5. Pour the can of tomatoes into the same pan you cooked the onions in again scrap the bottom to get up anything stuck to the pan. Add coriander, cardamom, cumin, ginger, salt and pepper, stirring well. Cook tomatoes over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, just until it begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.
6. Add beef stock to tomatoes and continue to cook until it comes to a simmer. While you’re waiting for the tomatoes and beef stock to heat up, add the carrot, parsnip, potatoes, yam, apple and kidney beans to the Dutch oven or slow cooker and mix well with the oxtail and onions.
7. Once the tomatoes and stock are at a simmer, add them to the Dutch oven or slow cooker. Give the whole thing a good stir to make sure the sauce covers everything, cover with a lid, and set to cook. For a Dutch oven, place it in your 200 degree oven and let cook undisturbed for 8 hours. If you’re using a slow cooker, turn it to the “LOW” setting and let cook for 8 hours.
8. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley. I serve my oxtail soup with the bones in because I’m too lady to pick them apart before serving – plus I think the bones add to the rustic feel of the dish. If you’re so inclined, feel free to pick out the bones before serving.