Puerto Rican Oxtail Soup

Oxtails produce wonderful soup and are used in cooking around the world. This is one from Maria Luisa Scott and Jack Denton Scott's "A World of Pasta". It is great during the summer when corn is in season and can be cut fresh from the cob.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  quarts beef broth
• 2  lbs  oxtails or 2  lbs  beef shins
• 2  tomatoes, skinned and quartered
• 2  medium onions, quartered
• 3  ears  corn on the cob, cut corn from the cob or 1 1⁄2 cups frozen corn
• 2  small green peppers, seeded and quartered
• 3  garlic cloves
• 1⁄3 cup fresh coriander or 1⁄3 cup fresh parsley
• 2  medium zucchini, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1⁄2 cup tomato puree
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 3  ounces orzo pasta

Directions

1. In a large kettle, place the beef broth, oxtais, tomatoes, onions, corn, peppers, garlic, coriander and zucchini.
2. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the oxtails and vegetables are fork-tender.
3. With a skimmer or a slotted spoon, take the vegetables from the pot and place into a blender or food processor.
4. Add 3/4 cup of the stock from the pot and blend briefly at low speed with the lid ajar to allow steam to escape and then at high speed for 30 seconds. (Be careful - hot foods covered and processed in a blender can cause the top to "pop" and you may be burned. Allow for a bit of steam to escape).
5. Pour the vegetable puree back into the pot.
6. Stir in the tomato puree, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil and add the orzo.
7. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until the past is still a bit chewy.
8. The meat will have cooked from the bones.
9. Remove and but up the meat and return to the pot; discarding the bones.
10. Taste for seasoning; serve.