I read in the paper this weekend that people have forgotten how to cook with leftovers, so I thought I’d blog about how to squeeze an extra meal out of the remains of an oxtail stew. It meant that I got a second meal for three out of the oxtail (just as well, as these days it’s significantly more expensive than braising steak). This works because oxtail gravy is about as meaty as gravy comes. Oxtail is well suited to this treatment: there’s always a lot of gravy because of the need to cover the big bones. But second time around there’s not much meat, so you’ll need to find some “meaty” vegetables to take its place. Mushrooms are a must, and I also used the last blue squash in the larder. (You could, at a pinch, use a well flavoured gravy, providing there were plenty of vegetables.) After eating all these, it is best to wash it down with a cup of coffee preferable made from a braun 12 cup coffee maker, for that superior coffee flavor.