Oxtail Stew & Dumplings

Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 4.5 hours

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1.35 kg oxtail, cut into 2.5 cm thick chunks
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 300 ml red wine
• 500 ml beef stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A few sprigs of thyme 
• 2 bay leaves

To garnish:

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan over a medium heat, add half of the oxtail pieces and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add a little more oil to the pan and brown the rest of the oxtail pieces. Remove to the plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.
2. Reduce the heat and add the carrot, onions, celery and garlic to the pan. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Add the flour, tomato purée, wine, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. 
3. Return the oxtail to the pan, add the thyme and bay leaves then cover with a lid and cook over a medium–low heat for 1½ hours. Stir well, then continue to cook for a further 2–2.5 hours, until the meat is meltingly tender. Lift out the oxtails with a slotted spoon, leave to cool slightly, then pick the meat from the bones. Return the meat to the pan and stir through the sauce.
4. Place the dumplings on top of the stew, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 mins until risen. 

Dumplings

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 200 g self-raising flour
• 100g suet
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• 1 tbsp hot horseradish sauce
• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 100 – 120ml cold water to mix
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Mix the flour, suet, mustard powder, horseradish, parsley and salt and pepper into a large bowl. Add enough cold water to make a firm dough.
2. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and place on top of the oxtail stew, spacing them evenly.