Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 680g beef stew meat
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 30ml vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 large celery stalks, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh or 1g dried thyme
• 30g tomato paste
• 1 (400g) can diced tomatoes
• 950ml low-sodium beef stock or broth
• 120ml dry red wine (optional), or use water
• 2 medium russet potatoes
• 30g fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for serving
• 300g chopped mixed vegetables, such as green beans, corn, peas and carrots, frozen and unthawed or fresh
• Butter crackers, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the beef dry and cut it into equal pieces of about 4 cm if needed. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 15 ml oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Brown half the beef in a single layer, about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 15 ml oil and beef.
3. Stir onion and celery into the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
4. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits. Add the tomatoes with their juices, beef, stock, 480 ml water and 9 g salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a very low simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed.
5. At the 1-hour mark, peel the potatoes and cut them into 2.5 cm cubes. After another 15 minutes, stir them into the soup, cover and cook for 15 minutes more.
6. Stir in the frozen vegetables and return to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are just tender, 7 to 10 minutes more. Stir in parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Spoon the soup into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of parsley and crushed butter crackers.