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Ox Tail Soup, Clear

Cut a fine fresh ox tail into pieces an inch long, and divide the thick part into four. Wash these pieces, and throw them into boiling water for a quarter of an hour; then drain, and wipe them with a soft cloth. Put them into a stewpan with two carrots, an onion stuck with three cloves, a sprig of parsley, a small piece of thyme, two or three sticks of celery, half a blade of mace, a tea-spoonful of salt, six or eight pepper-corns, and a quart of water or clear stock. Boil, remove the scum carefully as it rises, then draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, and simmer very gently until the meat is tender. Lift out the pieces of ox tail, strain the soup, and if it is not clear and bright clarify it according to the directions given in CLEAR SOUP (MADE FROM BONES). Turn three carrots, and two turnips, into any small shapes that may be preferred, or into thin shreds an inch long, being careful only that they are all of the same size. Other vegetables may be used as well as turnips and carrots--such as French beans, green peas, asparagus, celery, or onions. Put these into a saucepan, pour the clarified stock over them, and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender. Heat the pieces of ox tail, pour the soup upon them, and serve as hot as possible. Time, about three hours to simmer the ox tail. Probable cost, 2s. Sufficient for six or eight persons.