Recipe: French Oxtail Soup from McCalls Cooking School

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FRENCH OXTAIL SOUP

3 lbs oxtails, cut up
1 lb. veal knuckle
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 teaspoons salt
3 large carrots, pared
4 medium onions, peeled
1 stalk celery, cut up
2 parsley sprigs
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
6 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 egg white
3 large carrots, pared
2 white turnips, pared
2 stalks celery, washed
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed beef broth, undiluted
1/2 cup Madeira or sherry chopped parsley

DAY AHEAD:
Wipe oxtails and veal knuckle with damp paper towels. In hot butter in deep, 6 qt. kettle slowly brown oxtails, turning on all sides-takes about 1/2 hour.

Add veal knuckle and 3 qts water, cover. Over low heat, slowly bring to boiling. With slotted metal spoon, skim foam from surface several bones. Add salt, 3 carrots, the onions, cut-up celery, parsley sprigs, thyme, peppercorns and b ay leaf, bring to boiling. Reduce heat, simmer covered, 3 hours. Remove from heat.

Remove oxtails. Cool before cutting off excess fat. If desired, take meat off bones. Refrigerate, covered.

Strain broth, discard vegetables and veal knuckle. Refrigerate, covered, several hours of overnight.

ABOUT 2 HOURS BEFORE SERVING:
To clarify the broth, skim fat from the broth and discard fat. Slightly beat egg white with 4 Tablespoons water. Stir into cold stock in 5 qt. Dutch oven; mix well. Bring to boiling stirring constantly, boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat; let broth stand 15 minutes before straining. Line large strainer with double thickness of dampened cheesecloth, place over kettle. Strain broth through cheesecloth.

Cut carrots and turnips into slices 1/8 inch thick. Stack slices, cut into strips 2 inches long. Cut celery into 2-inch pieces. Then cut celery into 2-inch strips.

Add vegetables, oxtails and beef broth to broth. Bring to boiling, reduce heat; simmer, covered, just until vegetables are tender-crisp-5 minutes.

Add Madeira, simmer 5 minutes.

To serve, garnish with parsley.

Serves 6
Source: McCalls Cooking School