satisfying beef & vegetable soup

How To Make satisfying beef & vegetable soup

• 1

  Dissolve the 2 beef broth cubes in a bowl containing 1.5 quarts (2.4 liters) of hot water, and then set aside.
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  2

  Chef’s Note: You could use fresh beef stock here, and skip this step.
• 3

  In a good size pot, over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, until it is shimmering, and produces wisps of smoke. The pot should be big enough to eventually hold the broth, and all the other ingredients… Cast iron, if you have it.
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  4

  Working in batches, add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• 5

  Add another tablespoon of olive oil, and proceed to the second batch. Repeat until all the beef has been browned, and reserved on a plate.
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  6

  Chef’s Tip: Don’t place too much of the beef into the pan at one time. If you add too much beef, you won’t be sautéing the beef; you’ll be steaming it.
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  7

  Chef’s Note: Why aren’t we dredging the beef in flour before we sauté it? We’re making a soup and not a stew. Adding flour will thicken the broth, and give you something similar to a stew, and that's not what we're looking for here.
• 8

  Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and reduce heat to medium.
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  9

  Add chopped onion, sliced carrots and sliced celery, and then cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 10 minutes.
• 10

  Add the reserved beef and accumulated juices from the plate into the pot.
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  11

  Add the warm broth to the pot and bring to a slight boil over high heat. Immediately, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.
• 12

  After an hour has passed, add the potatoes, the tomatoes and their juice and stir to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
• 13

  Raise the heat and return the soup to a boil, and then reduce back down to a simmer.
• 14

  Continue to simmer until the beef and potatoes are tender, this should take about 20 minutes. 


• 15

  Add in the parsley and season the soup with any additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
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  16

  Chef’s Note: A good chef tastes and seasons… tastes and seasons.
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  17

  Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
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  18

  Chef's Tip: If you like your carrots and celery a bit more on the crunchy side, then before step 10, remove the veggies from the pot and reserve in a bowl. Perform steps 10 and 11. Thirty minutes into the simmering of the beef, add the reserved veggies, and then continue with step 12, and move forward.
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  19

  Chef's Tip: This soup freezes well, and will last about 2 months in the freezer.
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  20

  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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