HOT SOUP: This is a hearty soup that can be enjoyed as a meal when accompanied by plenty of good bread.

OXTAIL SOUP WITH BARLEY:

2 lbs. oxtail, disjointed                                    

1 cup barley

veggie & spice mix:

    2 onions, sliced                                                       

    3 celery stalks, chopped

    3 carrots, thinly sliced                                                         

    ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley

    2 bay leaves, crumpled

    12 peppercorns

    3 cloves

    1/8 tsp. mixed herbs

    ½ tsp. thyme                                               

12 cups hot water

1 cups red wine                                                          

cooking oil

salt to taste                                                                  

½ to 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Soak barley for 1 hour, wash and drain. Set aside.

In a large heavy saucepan, heat oil until hot and brown oxtails in batches. Drain fat off from pan and Add hot water, wine, the bay leaves and peppercorns. Cover and simmer gently for 3 hours, or until meat comes easily off the bone when picked with a fork. Remove oxtails with tongs. When cool enough to handle, remove meat, discard bones, and cut meat into ½-inch dice. Set aside.

Strain stock, skim off fat globules from the surface, and return it to a clean saucepan. Add in the vegetables and rest of spice mix, together with the barley. Cover pot, bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer soup for 1 to 1½   hours. Return meat to soup. Add salt to taste, and the Worcestershire sauce. Serve hot.