No. 56 — Ox-Tail Soup
English translation of the original Russian recipe No. 56 in Molokhovets’ 1901 cookbook, with historical quantities and source references.
A day ahead, soak three ox tails in cold water, changing it as often as possible. Put them into warm water, bring once or twice to the boil and rinse cold. Transfer to broth made from the previous day's leftover bones with roots, a bunch of herbs and about ½ glass of strong Madeira. Cover the saucepan with paper and simmer at least four or five hours, adding enough broth to keep the tails covered.
Meanwhile prepare red broth No. 4 or 5 from browned beef and roots, then strain. Add the liquid from cooking the tails and clarify with a meat clarification mixture. Keep the tails at the edge of the stove under paper and a lid.
Thicken the finished broth with either one glass of fine wheat flour mixed with a spoonful of butter or ½ glass of potato starch mixed with ½ glass of Madeira. Pour into the boiling stock, stirring with a spatula, and simmer.
Peel two carrots and two celery roots and slice them. Blanch once in boiling water and drain. Add ¼ spoonful of butter and just enough strained broth to cover. Cook gently under a lid, adding broth a spoonful at a time, until soft.
Transfer the roots to a sauté pan, pour over broth fat, sprinkle with Madeira or Málaga and a little sugar, then bake uncovered, shaking often until they brown evenly and acquire a glossy coating. Put them into the soup tureen.
Make quenelles from raw chicken fillets as in Nos. 227–228, and fry them until brown in ⅛ Russian pound of butter. Put into the broth ½ pound of sweetbreads (the source calls them “sweet meat”), 12–20 separately boiled combs, 15 champignons, ¾ pound of sorted sorrel and ½ glass of tomatoes. Bring to the boil, season with salt and serve.
To provide
- Proportions for twelve people: 3 ox tails and a bunch of greens
- ¾ Russian pound of roots—carrot, parsley root, celery, leek and parsnip; 1 slice of lemon
- ½ glass of Madeira or Málaga
- For red stock: 5–6 Russian pounds of beef; ¾ pound of basic soup roots; 2 onions
- For clarification: 1 Russian pound of beef
- 1 glass of flour with a spoonful of butter; alternatively ½ glass of potato flour with ½ glass of Madeira
- 2 carrots, 2 celery roots and ¼ spoonful of butter
- For quenelles: chicken fillets, ½ French roll, 1 egg, salt and 1 spoonful of butter for frying
- ½ Russian pound of sweetbreads, 12–20 combs, 15 champignons
- ½ glass of tomatoes; optional ¼ Russian pound of sorrel