Pigeon Cottage Kitchen

My mother used to make the best oxtail stew with dumplings. It was my favourite supper. I’ve only seen oxtail for sale in my local butchers but if you can find it, don’t pass up the chance to buy one and make this stew.

Cooked slowly for a good four hours with plenty of vegetables and a drop of red wine, it’s simply delicious. You can eat it on the bone but I prefer to lift the bones out and flake the meat off and then cook the dumplings at the end. You could substitute mash for the dumplings if you prefer.

Serves 4

• A large oxtail cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tablespoons of cold-pressed rapeseed oil
• 100 ml robust red wine
• 3 sticks of celery, finely chopped
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 carrots, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• A sprig of thyme
• A beef stock gel pot
• Half a carton of passata
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon each of salt and coarsely ground black pepper 
• Dumplings: 225g plain flour, 1 level tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 110g vegetable suet, 150ml cold water, a good dash of white pepper. Optional: 1 tsp horseradish sauce or 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

To make…

• Preheat the oven to 140°C.
• Heat the oil gently in a large cast-iron casserole on the hob.
• Toss the oxtail in the flour and fry gently until bowed on all sides. Set aside.
• Add another drizzle of oil to coat the base of the pan. Add the chopped onion, garlic, carrot and celery and cook gently for about 10 minutes until softened.
• Add the wine, vinegar, passata, stockpot, salt, pepper bay and thyme. Add a teacup of water and bring to a simmer.
• Add the browned oxtail, cover and transfer to the oven.
• Cook for 4 hours or until the meat is tender and flakes easily with a fork.
• Take the casserole out of the oven and lift the oxtail pieces out with a fork onto a chopping board. Shred the meat from the bones (discard the bones) and then add the meat back into the casserole. Add a little water if the sauce is too thick. Place the pot on the hob and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, make the dumplings by adding all the dry ingredients and the suet together into to a large mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly. Gradually add the water and stir into a sticky dough. Divide into eight equal balls and place them on top of the stew. Add the lid, the dumplings should fluff up and cook in the steam within 20 minutes.
• Serve with your favourite green vegetables.

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