Right Wing Nation

There’s pork I have to use tonight (still not sure how), but tomorrow or the next day it’s soup or stew. I have veggies, so this time, I don’t need to use frozen.

Vegetable Soup

No, there’s nothing vegetarian about this soup. We ate this all the time. I’ve never seen a recipe for this soup — I reconstructed it from memory, after watching my grandmothers, my mother, and yes, my father, do it hundreds of times. This soup is rich, delicious, and satisfying — and best of all, frozen vegetables work perfectly in it.

2 lbs. chuck, cubed
2 qts. beef stock
1 #2 1/2 can whole tomatoes
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
2 T. oil
4 each: medium potatoes. celery ribs, and carrots, all peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small can kidney or pinto beans
1/2 c. each: frozen corn, frozen green beans, frozen peas (feel free to toss in any vegetables you like)
2 bay leaves
1 t. chili powder (for just a little kick)
1 t. black pepper
salt (to taste)

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large heavy pan. Add onions, turn heat down low, cover and sweat until soft and cooked down. Remove onions and reserve. If necessary, add another tablespoon of oil, then turn heat up high and brown the chuck, a couple of handfuls at at time. Add the chuck and onions back to the pan, then add the stock. Break the tomatoes up in your hand and add them and their juice with the celery, potatoes, frozen green beans, and carrots. Add the bay leaves, chili powder, and black pepper (don’t salt until right before you serve it), bring to a boil, then reduce heat very low, cover tightly, and simmer for two hours, until the beef is falling apart tender. Add the beans, corn, and peas, and simmer for another fifteen minutes. Salt to taste (it will be bland) and serve.

For beef stew, coat the beef cubes in seasoned flour first, then brown in hot grease. Proceed as with the soup, but halve the amount of beef stock. The flour coating will thicken the stock, so you need to watch and stir it.

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