Mom’s Vegetable Beef Soup
Cindy vonHentschel Albuquerque, NM
My mom always made soups and chowders when the weather got cold. This was one of my favorites...a satisfying meal to serve up on a chilly day. Enjoy! 2 T. oil 1 lb. stew beef cubes 1 onion, diced 3 to 4 stalks celery, sliced 3 to 4 carrots, peeled and diced 4 to 5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 c. plus 2 T. beef broth, divided 1 c. tomatoes, diced 2 T. all-purpose flour salt and pepper to taste
Add oil to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add beef; brown on all sides. Remove beef to a bowl and set aside. Add onion, celery and carrots; cook until crisp-tender. Return beef to soup pot along with potatoes and 2 cups broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally; add a little water, if needed. Add tomatoes; continue to simmer for 15 minutes, or until beef is tender. Mix flour and remaining broth in a cup; stir into stew. Cook and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.
As an old French proverb says, to make good soup, the pot must only simmer, or “smile.” As soon as the broth comes to a boil, turn down the heat to low. The soup will barely simmer, with bubbles breaking very gently on the surface. 74