Oxtail Casserole with Gremolata

Unfortunately oxtail is quite expensive these days but it does make a lovely casserole. You can cook this in a slow cooker, but the end result is a bit too runny for my liking. My preference is in a cast iron pot on the stove although it can go in the oven at 150C instead.

Brown oxtail in a little oil in your casserole pot. Add two chopped onions and continue frying until soft. Add 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp mixed dried herbs, 2 cans of chopped tomatoes, a tablespoon of pepper paste, a squirt of tomato ketchup and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to very low, and simmer for 4-5 hours until the meat is falling off the bones. Very nice served garnished with gremolata (recipe below).

For the gremolata, finely chop a large bunch of parsley and a clove of garlic. Place in a bowl, and stir in the grated rind of 1 large or 2 small lemons and the juice of one lemon. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve on top of your casserole.