I thought I would have a post today about a fabulous baby shower I was supposed to attend on Saturday. However, the Bookish Baby had other plans. Apparently, she wants to attend the shower in person rather than in utero. Hence, the shower has been postponed for a teeny bit. So, rather than seeing pictures of adorable baby gifts and knits, I’ve got soup for you.
I am a lover of soup. When the question “soup or salad” comes up, I almost always choose soup. And of course, when the weather turns cold, my meal planning thoughts turn towards soup. Last week I made “Roast Beef Soup” from an old Penzey’s catalog. It was fabulous. Simple to make and not too time consuming. Rich and meaty, but not a stew, definitely a soup. I thought I’d share the recipe with you all since it’s not on Penzey’s website anywhere that I can find.
Roast Beef Soup
2 lbs cubed beef stew meat
4 good sized carrots
2 medium onions
1/3 bunch fresh parsley, chopped fine
2 T vegetable oil
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
8-12 cups water
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375°. Cut large pieces of stew meat into smaller piece if necessary. Peel and slice carrots and onions. Place the beef, carrots, onions and parsley in a roasting pan, sprinkle with pepper and garlic, drizzle with vegetable oil and toss to coat. Put pan in oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once in a while. Bring the water to a simmer in a soup kettle, remove the beef and veggies from the pan and add to the soup pot. Drain off any fat that has accumulated in the pan, then use some of the water from the soup pot to deglaze the roasting pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any tasty browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour this back into the pot. Once everything is simmering, add the potatoes and salt, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked – about half an hour. Taste before serving and add more salt if desired.
Serve it up with some crusty bread and think of me while you nourish your body and soul with the goodness of soup.
