OXTAIL ONION SOUP

Ingredients
4 lbs. fresh oxtail, chopped
8 large Vidalia onions, peeled, sliced
1 stick salted butter
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
½ lb. sharp Provolone cheese, sliced
1 loaf Italian or French bread
1 bunch fresh chives, chopped finely






In a large stock pot, place oxtail and garlic.  Season with sea salt and black pepper.  Cover meat with water and bring to a boil.  Then simmer for 2 hours.  Sauté all the sliced onions in butter for about 10 minutes or until they look translucent.  Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.  Remove meat from stock and set aside.  Add the sautéed onions to the stock and bring to a boil one more time.  Cover and let cool.  Refrigerate the stock and the meat overnight.  Next day, skim the yellow fat layer from the stock and discard.  Remove meat from bones and chop into small pieces.  Add oxtail meat to stock, reheat and simmer for 1 hour.  Before serving, slice and toast bread.  Ladle onion soup into bowls and add 1 slice of bread topped with 2 slices of Provolone cheese into each bowl.  Brown the cheese just a little bit by placing under a broiler.  Watch carefully.  Garnish with finely chopped chives.

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