Oxtail soup

• Take a soup pan and put 1 liter of water in it.
  Add the stock and the herbs/spices.
• Add all these vegetables to the water with herbs in the soup pan and heat it.
• Heat a frying pan with some olive oil and fry the oxtail until nicely browned all around.
• Finally, add the tomato puree and heat briefly.
• Add the oxtail pieces to the soup and add half a liter of water to the tomato puree, heat and add to the soup.
• Bring the soup to the boil, place the lid on the pan and let it simmer for 3.5 hours.

• After 3.5 hours, scoop the oxtail pieces out of the pan and place on a plate. Remove the bones.
• It's wonderful to gnaw on these bones after the meat has been removed.
• Place a hand blender on the soup and blend until smooth.
• You can also strain the soup, but I want to keep the fibers in the soup and it gives some thickness to the soup.
• Add the meat and taste...maybe add some salt or pepper?
• Cut the mushrooms into thin strips and add to the soup.
• Or place the dried mushrooms in some hot water, let them steep for 10 minutes, cut them into strips and then add them to the soup.

Add port if desired and the delicious homemade oxtail soup is ready!