Per my cousin Esperanza's request for recipes, I will go ahead and share something simple before I deconstruct the antipasto platter I brought to a pot luck dinner several weeks ago.

Today, I've been at home, with an awful sore throat, and I slept all morning until my husband left for work. And my kitchen is a catastrophe that I'm in no mood or shape for sorting through to cook something to make me feel better.

What I'm craving more than anything is my Gramma Margie's Vegetable Soup.

The beauty of soups like this is there needn't be exact measurements of much anything. And if you don't like, or are allergic to, some veggie on the list, just skip it. But be warned, there are some ingredients that make the soup what it is, so if you've got tomato issues, this isn't for you.

I shop for this at the regular ol' grocery store. It's not fancy, but if you know my Gramma Margie, you know that it's pretty much the way she made her groceries too. Measurements are in packages, cans, bags... I try to use frozen veg for things out of season, and if you're feeling icky, the convenience is nice. On the other hand, if you're feeling up to the task, getting all the veg and working from scratch will take you at least two days. And when I say from scratch, I mean your beef or veg stock, too. No half steppin' if you want the full tilt from-scratch experience.

No photographs of this one... so the words are gonna have to do all the work...


St. Ann Street Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:


4 16oz. Cans of Good Quality Canned Tomatoes
2 Large-ish Onions, Chopped Fine (if you've got a food processor, have at it. I got my knife skills.)
1 stalk Celery - Chopped
Olive Oil -- NOT Extra Virgin...
2 lbs. Beef Stew Meat (a cut that's meant for braising is essentially what you want. If you get a whole roast and wanna cut it yourself, that's cool too - 3/4 inch chunks.)
1 package (12 little ears) Niblet Corn on the Cob... I think that's Green Giant Brand, but use what's there. I just like the smaller hunks. and the cob imparts more flavor than just kernels.
1 lb Fresh Carrots -- peeled, sliced in thin rounds OR small diced (whichever you find more aesthetically pleasing. i like diced.)
1 bag (1lb or so) Cut Frozen Green Beans. NOT FRENCH STYLE!
1 smallish head green cabbage - clceaned well, and cut into strips -- doesn't have to be julienned.
2 Fresh Turnips -peeled & diced.
1 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes. These are the ones I like best -- but if you can't find them, butter reds are nice too. Peel and dice.
2 Boxes Low-Sodium, Good Quality Beef Broth (y'know those boxes w/ pour spouts? those.)
Thyme - dried is easier unless you have an herb garden. i usually add to taste, but 1 TBSP of fresh OR 1 tsp. of dried, then taste and adjust.
Bay Leaves - 3 or 5. i usually add an odd number. go figure.
1 lb. Vermicelli pasta (optional)
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper


What to do:

Get a Big Stock pot. If it has a thick bottom, perfect. And a wooden spoon. Wooden spoons are the best. BUT be warned, they still get hot, so don't leave it in the pot. Okay....

Stock pot on the stove, add a little olive oil, not enough to cover the bottom of the pot, but y'know.. a little bit. Let it get hot (not smoking - that's not good!) and add onions & celery. Smother down to let them get translucent and soft. You will smell this process - stir occasionally w/ your wooden spoon to make sure it's not burning or sticking. Adjust the heat if it's getting too hot. You don't want carmelization.

OK. Once the aromatics are soft, We're gonna add the meat. This is a lazy braise, because if I were really being all technique focused, I'd be searing the beef chunks in a big saute pan while the onions & celery cooked down. If you wanna go that route, have at it.

Get some color on the meat -- this is the carmelization we ARE looking for. It will add flavor. Once you have good color on your beef chunks, add the tomatoes, and let them reduce a bit, liquid and all. This will concentrate the tomato flavor and the acid will help temderize the meat.

You've got your base. If you're using dried thyme, now is a good time to add it. Then, add 1/2 of the 1st box of stock. Stir in, and keep stirring to make sure nothing is sticking at the bottom of the pot. Add bay leaves. Slowly mix in the rest of the stock, and bring it to a rolling boil - too much bubbling will break down the veg too much! Add your root vegetables (turnips, carrots, potatoes) & cabbage and gently simmer until they are al dente... then add the corn and green beans. Check on the beef at this point, to see if it's gotten fork tender yet. It should be super close. If you want the pasta, add it when the root veg are about 1/2 way to where you want them.

Things should be smelling really yummy by now, and if the soup looks too thick, get the 2nd box of stock into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Add one ladle at a time, to desired consistency.

Remember, the longer you simmer, the more the liquid will cook down, so this should be a gradual process. Also, keep tasting, because you will be seasoning this at the END of the process -- all those flavors frow in concentrarion, so you want to impart as much from your ingredients as you can before salt and pepper come into play.

Moment of truth -- salt and pepper to taste. If you like it spicy, add some Tony Chacere's, or hot garlic paste (Huy Fong, makers of Sriracha Sauce, have a good one). Or you can go bowl by bowl w/ some Louisiana Hot Sauce, or the hot sauce of your choosing.

Over all, the finished product will have a warm orangy-red color from the tomatoes, a rich rich aroma from the veg, not too thick, but not overly translucent (there is a lot of starch in there). Noodles al dente, fork tender chunks beef (almost shredding in your bowl) and jsutr soft enough root veggies. The corn on the cob can be fished out and eaten easily. the cabbage will be sort of translucent, and not aggressive when you're trying to get some in your spoon.

My gramma's whole house would smell of this stuff when it was on the stove. An old fashioned New Orleans shotgun home, this is one of those things that will always be hand in hand with my memories of spending time there.

If you make some soup, let me know how it turns out. Tell me if you adjust it, change it, make it your own, and save a little for me -- it freezes VERY well. Gramma used to also add lima beans, but I don't like them. But that's okay.. recipes are meant to be a foundation, not followed to the letter. So, don't be afraid to adjust it - if you're a vegetarian, get a good quality veg stock, or make your own. If you want mushrooms, add those (but those are always best if you get 'em fresh and sear them first). If you despise cabbage, leave it out.

Just as long as it makes you happy.

Maybe next week when I'm feeling better, I'll make this myself, and post some photos..

Stay tuned.