Thanks to all who helped me figure out how to make my first pot of Vegetable
beef soup a good one!

Here's what I did, using a mix of your ideas and ingredients:

Browned about 2 pounds of sirloin tip deeply and braised until it was
succulent. It made a lovely deep brown juice that I added to the soup.
Chopped it after cooking.

Half gallon (64 oz, two large cartoins) beef broth added to this.

1 medium can whole tomatoes, plus a few small fresh ones, skinned and diced

Fresh chopped baby carrots, frozen white corn added. When these were almost
done, I added a can of field peas with green beans (all canned stuff rinsed
and drained), baby limas, and peas. Fresh ground pepper, bay leaf, and water
added about equal to beef broth. The last thing in was the potatoes--fresh
russets, diced.

It is very thick with vegetables, which is how we like it. I think next time
either field peas OR peas would do. I was right about the "tang" factor, or
the ratio of beef broth to tomatos being important. I added the tomatoes
slowly, tasting and simmering a while in between.

Thanks again, everyone. I think as many of you said, it will be even better
tomorrow!

cybercat wrote:
> Thanks to all who helped me figure out how to make my first pot of Vegetable
> beef soup a good one!
>
> Here's what I did, using a mix of your ideas and ingredients:
>
> Browned about 2 pounds of sirloin tip deeply and braised until it was
> succulent. It made a lovely deep brown juice that I added to the soup.
> Chopped it after cooking.
>
> Half gallon (64 oz, two large cartoins) beef broth added to this.
>
> 1 medium can whole tomatoes, plus a few small fresh ones, skinned and diced
>
> Fresh chopped baby carrots, frozen white corn added. When these were almost
> done, I added a can of field peas with green beans (all canned stuff rinsed
> and drained), baby limas, and peas. Fresh ground pepper, bay leaf, and water
> added about equal to beef broth. The last thing in was the potatoes--fresh
> russets, diced.
>
> It is very thick with vegetables, which is how we like it. I think next time
> either field peas OR peas would do. I was right about the "tang" factor, or
> the ratio of beef broth to tomatos being important. I added the tomatoes
> slowly, tasting and simmering a while in between.
>
> Thanks again, everyone. I think as many of you said, it will be even better
> tomorrow!
>
>
>
>
>

Sounds good!

It's way too hot for soup here...can't wait until fall!

--
-Gina in Italy

http://www.myspace.com/ravenlynne1975

"I'm a psychopath with super powers and you're my girl!"
- Mr. Hyde, Jekyll.

Dr. Jekyll: Ever killed anyone, Benjamin?
Benjamin: Not personally. I have people.
Dr. Jekyll: You're missing out. It's like sex. Only there's a winner.

"cybercat" > wrote in :

> I was right about the "tang" factor, or
> the ratio of beef broth to tomatos being important.

Try using those tiny grape tomatoes...leave them whole. When biten into
the flavour explodes into your mouth

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

"cybercat" wrote:
> Thanks to all who helped me figure out how to make my first pot of Vegetable
> beef soup a good one!
>
> Here's what I did, using a mix of your ideas and ingredients:
>
> Browned about 2 pounds of sirloin tip deeply and braised until it was
> succulent. It made a lovely deep brown juice that I added to the soup.
> Chopped it after cooking.

Would have been better to dice the meat before browning. Then deglaze
with diced onion, then add some minced garlic, then liquid (soup is a
one pot dish). The rest is okay (I'd add celery and some bell
pepper). Needs parsley too. The canned veggie liquid should have
gone into the pot, tossing it down the drain was wasteful. I'd have
added a handful of small pasta, stars or alphabets add a nice touch.


> Half gallon (64 oz, two large cartoins) beef broth added to this.
>
> 1 medium can whole tomatoes, plus a few small fresh ones, skinned and diced
>
> Fresh chopped baby carrots, frozen white corn added. When these were almost
> done, I added a can of field peas with green beans (all canned stuff rinsed
> and drained), baby limas, and peas. Fresh ground pepper, bay leaf, and water
> added about equal to beef broth. The last thing in was the potatoes--fresh
> russets, diced.
>
> It is very thick with vegetables, which is how we like it. I think next time
> either field peas OR peas would do. I was right about the "tang" factor, or
> the ratio of beef broth to tomatos being important. I added the tomatoes
> slowly, tasting and simmering a while in between.
>
> Thanks again, everyone. I think as many of you said, it will be even better
> tomorrow!

"ravenlynne" > wrote
> Sounds good!

I think the true test will be tonight, now that it has sat
in overnight in the fridge.

>
> It's way too hot for soup here...can't wait until fall!

Gina, do you have air conditioning? I was never in Italy in
the summer, and was mostly in the Northern parts anyway,
but I remember noting that there were no screens in many
windows and no central air. I noticed an amazing lack of
humidity, I am wondering if that is so later in the summer?

Not that this is why you don't like soup in the summer--many
people who stay cool indoors still don't want something like
this when it is so hot outside.

I love making something that has vegetables and fresh things
in it in a big pot so we can just heat it up when we want some,
and my husband loves soup more than nearly anything, I have
no idea why. (Lucky thing, though, what if he only liked filet
mignon and lobster, right?)

"hahabogus" > wrote in message
...
> "cybercat" > wrote in :
>
>> I was right about the "tang" factor, or
>> the ratio of beef broth to tomatos being important.
>
> Try using those tiny grape tomatoes...leave them whole. When biten into
> the flavour explodes into your mouth
>

Yum, that sounds nice. Can these be left too long in the soup to cook?

I am going to dish the current batch of soup out of the pot and microwave it
because the russet chunks are still intact and if I heat the whole pot over
and
over again, they will be mush by the third heating.

(I know new potatoes would be firmer and hold up better, but I adore the
earthy taste and mooshy texture of russets!)

"cybercat" > wrote in :

> Can these be left too long in the soup to cook?
>

I've thrown them into stews I've braised at the beginning so I think they'd
be ok in any soup.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore