This full-bodied beef-vegetable soup begins with a robust broth and finishes with a swirl of fresh basil sauce and a sprinkling of grated Gruyere. - LIFESTYLE MEDIA GROUP/Universal Press Syndicate SUCCESS TIP:
When preparing home-made broth, delay adding salt until you actually use the reduced broth in a soup, stew or sauce; otherwise, any dish made with the broth may taste too salty.
Although this traditional French country soup is usually made without meat, this version includes ground or chopped beef and beef broth. For a meatless version, omit the beef and substitute well-flavoured vegetable stock for the beef broth. For the finishing touch, stir spoonfuls of pistou, a Provençale version of Italian pesto, into the soup or serve it on the side. If you make the soup ahead of time, wait to add the Gruyere cheese until the soup has been reheated for serving.
Beef-Vegetable Soup with Pistou
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lean beef,
ground or finely chopped
1 large onion, thinly slivered
1 clove garlic, minced
or pressed
3 medium tomatoes, peeled,
seeded and coarsely chopped
or 1 large can (28 ounces)
tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 1/2 cups beef broth
(recipe below) or 2 cans
(14 1/2 ounces each)
regular-strength beef broth
2 cups water 2 teaspoons salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 medium potatoes (about
1 pound), cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 pound green beans, trimmed
and cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 pound vermicelli pasta,
broken in half
1/2 cup finely shredded
Gruyere or Swiss cheese plus
additional shredded cheese, for
garnish (optional)
Pistou (recipe below)
METHOD
1. In large soup pot, heat oil. Add beef and cook over medium heat, stirring often to crumble the meat. As meat browns, stir in onion; cook until onion is soft. Stir in garlic. Add tomatoes and their liquid, beef broth, the water, salt, pepper and potatoes.
2. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour. Meanwhile, parboil green beans, uncovered, in large quantity of boiling salted water just until their colour brightens and they are barely tender (six to eight minutes). Drain and then plunge into a large bowl of icy cold water to stop cooking; drain again and set aside.
3. After soup has cooked for 1 hour, add vermicelli; boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pasta is just tender (10 to 12 minutes). Add green beans and simmer just until the beans are heated through. Turn off heat.
4. Add the 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, about a fourth at a time, stirring after each addition until cheese melts.
5. Spoon Pistou into warm soup tureen or large individual serving bowls. Pour in soup, stirring to blend Pistou into soup. Serve at once, garnished with additional shredded cheese, if desired.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
To preserve the fresh colour of the basil, prepare it no earlier than about half-an-hour before serving and cover it with plastic film.
Pistou
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
or pressed
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh
basil leaves (or two
tablespoons dried basil and
1/2 cup lightly packed
parsley leaves)
1/4 tsp each salt and sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
METHOD
In a blender or food processor, combine olive oil, garlic, basil, salt, sugar and vinegar. Process until smooth; cover and set aside. Refrigerate any leftovers and use within a day or two.
Makes about 1/3 cup.
Most supermarkets stock packages of beef bones for soup, but if you don't find them in the meat case, ask the butcher for the amount you need.
Beef Broth
8 to 10 lb meaty beef bones
3 medium carrots
3 large onions
2 stalks celery, with
leaves, chopped
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes,
crushed
Salt (optional)
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 450ºF. Place bones in a large, open roasting pan in a single layer. Slice 1 of the carrots and 1 of the onions; place atop bones. Roast, uncovered, until meat and bones are well-browned (about 30 minutes).
2. Transfer bones and vegetables to a large stockpot. Add a little water to roasting pan and stir to dissolve browned bits; add liquid from roasting pan to mixture in stockpot. Chop remaining carrots and onions, and the celery; add, along with tomatoes and their liquid, to stockpot. Add enough water to cover bones. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 to 12 hours.
3. Strain broth, discarding solids, and return broth to stockpot. Boil gently, uncovered, until reduced by about a fourth (30 to 45 minutes).
4. Moisten a large piece of cheesecloth; wring out thoroughly. Line a large colander with several thicknesses of the damp cheesecloth; set over large bowl or deep pot. Pour broth through cheesecloth-lined colander. Taste; add salt, if desired. Pour broth into large shallow container, cover, and chill in refrigerator until fat congeals on surface (at least two hours or overnight).
5. Skim fat from broth; discard fat. Broth is now ready to be used or stored in lidded containers. Refrigerate and use within three days; for longer storage, freeze for up to six months.
Makes 10 to 12 cups.
