Ingredients
- 250g beef oxtail
- Flour for dusting
- 200ml good quality tinned plum tomatoes
- 50g white beans, seasoned with salt and pepper and a splash of oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 small carrots, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 small bulb fennel, sliced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped finely
- 1 small bunch basil leaves, leaves and stalks separated
- 200g good quality tinned plum tomatoes
- 400ml red wine
- 2 courgettes, sliced
- 50g baby spinach
- 250ml good quality chicken or vegetable stock
- 20g dried pasta
Preparation
1. Drain the beans, season
2. For the oxtail, dust the meat in the flour and season with salt
3. Brown all sides in a pan, remove and set aside
4. Add a splash of oil, ½ chopped onion, half of the carrots, celery, fennel and brown
5. Add the meat, 200ml red wine and veg to a pressure cooker, add 200ml tinned tomatoes and cover with chicken stock
6. Cook for 45minutes on high pressure until oxtail is soft.
7. In a large pot, on low heat, add the onion, carrot, garlic, celery, fennel, and finely sliced basil stalks
8. Sweat very slowly for 15minutes until soft but not brown
9. Add the courgettes, 200ml red wine, and tinned tomatoes and simmer for another 15 minutes.
10. Add the beans, pasta, spinach, and stock and simmer until the pasta is soft
11. Add the oxtail meat and fresh basil leaves to the soup and serve.
Tips
- Use the oxtail cooking liquid or stock for the soup or to thin down the soup.
- Make sure the veg and meat for the oxtail is browned well for good flavor.
- Crush the dry pasta before adding it to the soup for small pasta pieces.
Written by
Natia Van Heerden
