Ground Beef Soup
2001-08-29 @ 3:56 p.m.
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Yesterday was a really horrible day at work. It was one of those days when I was really glad to be able to come home and relax in the bosom(s) of my fabulous family of loving women. It was also comfort food time in a big way.
When the idea of Ground Beef Soup first occurred to me, I almost rejected it outright because it sounded so white-trashy. But then I thought, "hey, I'm white trash." So I gave it a whirl. It's actually very good. Jake still can't talk because of her cold, so her throat appreciated the warm soup even if it is August, and everyone else said they loved it, too. So here you go.
2 cans beef consomm�
2 cans water
1 can beef broth
3 or 4 small to med. potatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
1 good sized onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 lb ground beef
salt and pepper
mustard, optional
Heat the beef consomm�, beef broth and water in a large pot on high with the potatoes and bay leaf. I used Campbell's beef consomm�. It was actually recommended to use as a soup base in a cooking class I took because it has gelatin added and gives a nice mouth-feel. If I'd had one more can in the cabinet, I would have probably used all beef consomm�, but I only had two cans so I used some Swanson's beef broth.
While that is cooking, saut� the onions, garlic, celery and mushrooms in olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook until the meat is completely browned. By this time the potatoes may be starting to soften. Add the meat mixture to the potatoes and broth. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper. Let it simmer until everything is warm and you are ready to eat it.
Apologizing beforehand, my wife added mustard to the soup in her bowl. (She's afraid she'll insult me if she alters my recipe. I'm just glad she enjoys my food.) I tasted hers, and it was pretty good. Try it if you like mustard.
We opened a bottle of Vampire wine (Cabernet Sauvignon) with the soup. It actually is a wine who's label says "Vampire." It's a bottle we've had for a while, meaning to open it several times and never getting into it. I gave it to Sara a while ago because she likes vampires so much. Unfortunately, she wasn't as fond of the wine. It was actually a decent wine (and not too expensive as I recall). It was rich enough to go with the beef and the mushrooms and acidic enough to match up to the tomatoes. We opened it as a lark, but it worked out okay. Sometimes you have to drink the wine you like, or the one you want to try and hope for the best. If I were recommending a wine with that dish to a customer in the store, I would probably have suggested a red Burgundy or a Sangiovese.
We had a short evening together yesterday because we are all getting ready for vacation and Sara had homework to do. Also because I wanted a little private time with my wife. We cuddled on the couch for a while watching TV. She even let me watch Food Network. I got to see Pukka Tukka for the first time. I just love that guy (Naked Chef). He almost never cooks anything that makes me want to rush to the computer to print out a recipe from foodtv.com, but I love watching him cook. He makes it look like fun, and, since I know how much fun cooking is, I enjoy watching him having fun in the kitchen.
For anyone who's counting down (like me), I will be on vacation in 2 full days (1/2 left today, all day tomorrow and 1/2 on Friday before we leave - As soon as I leave work on Friday at 2 p.m. I will be officially on vacation!) And just in case you are wondering, yes I pack my kitchen to take with me. My wonderful family gave me a tackle box for Christmas a couple of years ago because we saw the idea in the newspaper from someone else who likes to cook on vacation. The little spaces in the top are perfect for small spice jars, corkscrews, etc., and the bottom holds my spoons, spatulas, knives and bigger spice and condiment jars and bottles. I will have a fully stocked pantry on my vacation!
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