Tonight, we at casa del Primalfringe were contemplating what we were going to have for dinner. We had chicken, vegetables, and spices ready to go. rummaging through the freezer, I found some chicken (or possibly turkey – hard to say) stock we had previously cooked up and frozen. Considering today was about 20 degrees cooler than yesterday, soup seemed like a good choice. With that, we were off to the races.
1.5# beef (we used tenderloin, but any can be used) cubed.
1 whole large butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
3/4 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 cups mushrooms, quartered
8 cups Beef base/broth – just enough to cover the vegetables
2 tbsp butter or other saturated fat cooking oil
In a large pot, saute the vegetables in the butter, being sure to add in the herbs and spices (reserve the bay leaf for later) until just beginning to soften.
In a separate skillet, brown the beef cubes.
When the vegetables are ready to go, add the beef base/broth to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Add the bay leaf.
When the beef has browned, add it to the soup pot.
Continue to let simmer until vegetables reach desired tenderness (they should be easily pierced with a fork).
Salt and pepper to taste throughout the cooking process.
Enjoy! It’s a great soup, and quite simple, too. The butternut squash and cloves give it a sweeter character, but it adds to the whole of the soup, offering up a nice counterpoint to the richness of the beef.
Primal Fringe 