Ox-Tail Soup

It is cold.  It's still winter and soup is perfect for this weather.  My favorite home-made soup is Caldo de Res.  This is my version of Ox-Tail Soup inspired by my mom and the  recipe in the book (Chapter 7) by Laura Esquivel, "Like Water for Chocolate"  First take: 

·         One Large Onion (diced)

·         Two cloves of garlic (chopped)

·         4 Ox tails

Sauté the onion and garlic oil until they are transparent.

Brown the oxtails with onion and garlic.

  Next Chop remaining vegetables:

·         6 carrots

·         1 small cabbage

·         5 potatoes

·         2 zucchini

·         1-2 green bell peppers

·         corn on the cob (optional)

3.)  Add veggies/oxtails/garlic and onions to large stockpot with one gallon of water.  Add salt to taste and one teaspoon of comino.

4.)  Bring soup to boil-10-15 minutes and then lower medium heat, simmer for an hour.  Serve with Mexican rice, lemons, and corn tortillas. 

A great quote from the book's narrator and some rather sound advice:  "It is advisable to add a little more water than you normally would, since you are making a soup.  A good soup that's worth something has to be soupy without getting watery."