Oxtail Stew with Horseradish Dumplings

INGREDIENTS (serves 18)

6 tbsp plain flour

6 whole oxtail (jointed into roughly equal sized pieces, ask your butcher)

150 ml sunflower oil for frying

4 large onions, finely chopped

6 large carrots cut into small chunks  

6 celery sticks, cut into small chunks

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

6 tbsp tomato purée

bay leaves and thyme sprigs, tied together

1 bottle full-bodied red wine

200ml port

chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

450g shredded suet

450g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

12 tbsp freshly grated horseradish

300 ml cold water

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.

Season the flour with salt and pepper, then toss the oxtail in it until evenly coated.

Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole.

Working in batches, brown the meat really well on all sides.

Remove from the pan, then add the veg and garlic and fry for 3-4 mins until starting to colour.

Stir in the tomato purée and herbs.

Tip the meat back into the pan, pour over the wine and the port.

Season, cover the pan and braise in the oven for at least 3 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender.

This can be cooked up to 2 days ahead, some say it tastes even better prepared this way. If you make it ahead, chill in the fridge and lift any fat off the top before reheating.

To make the dumplings, tip the flour, suet and horseradish into a food processor with a generous pinch of salt, then mix until the ingredients are combined.  Add the water gradually until a firm consistency is reached. On a floured surface, roll the dumplings into small, walnut-size balls, then cover with a tea towel until ready to cook.

Place the dumplings around the edge of the stew after about 1 hour of cooking.

Serve a few chunks of meat in a soup bowl with a few dumplings, drizzle with olive oil and scattered finely chopped flat leaf parsley.