Oct
English Beef Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound lean beef — cut in 1″ cubes
1 small onion — sliced rings
4 stalks celery — chopped
2 quarts beef broth
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup cooked barley
4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons tomato catsup
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large soup pot, heat the oil and brown the beef and onion. Drain off the fat. Add the celery and beef broth. Simmer, covered, for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Add the carrots and barley and simmer for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, blend the flour and cold water. Slowly add the flour mixture to the soup pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the catsup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well and serve.
This recipe for ENGLISH BEEF SOUP is what one thinks of when it comes to good beefy English cooking. This is a good winter dish, I made it this freezing December night here in Berkeley, California because I wanted something substantial that would see me through the night and into tomorrow. The flavor is intense and, again, beefy; It is rustic and seems to ring of Victorian England, maybe a dish served in the military at one time. Used were good quality beef bouillon cubes, using only five intead of eight in that no matter how good the quality of cubes it’s best to use much less than called for. Do not be tempted to use any more than the 1/2 teaspoon of the worcestershire sauce called for, the small amount carries very well. The tomato catsup adds a nice dimension, and the flour to thicken unites all the flavors nicely. This wonderful soup will always be present in my winter kitchen…. Oh, do salt at the end, and the measurments makes for a healthy amount of soup, enough for an army. —John/Gian Banchero, Berkeley, California
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:01 am