Ox-Tail Soup

Ingredients

• 2 ox-tails
• 2 slice ham
• 1 oz butter
• 2 carrots
• 2 turnips
• 3 onions
• 1 leek
• 1 head celery
• 1 bunch savoury herbs
• 1 bay-leaf
• 12 whole peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• a tablespoonful of salt
• 2 tablespoonful ketchup
• 1/2 glass port wine
• 3 quart water

Instructions

1. Cut up the tails, separating them at the joints;
2. wash them, and put them in a stewpan, with the butter.
3. Cut the vegetables in slices, and add them, with the peppercorns and herbs.
4. Put in 1/2 pint of water, and stir it over a sharp fire till the juices are drawn.
5. Fill up the stewpan with the water, and, when boiling, add the salt.
6. Skim well, and simmer very gently for 4 hours, or until the tails are tender.
7. Take them out, skim and strain the soup, thicken with flour, and flavour with the ketchup and port wine.
8. Put back the tails, simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.