Easy One-Pot Meals, Part II

If you’re enjoying a nice Memorial Day at home, here’s another easy one-pot meal to help you spend more time playing and less time cooking.

This is my favorite vegetable soup that seems simple, but has a very complex flavor. A hint of citrus tones down the richness of the beef broth for an almost light, but incredibly flavorful soup. The recipe comes from my mother’s neighbor, a grand dame named Murial Sommers who has several great gastronomic tricks up her sleeve.

When I make this with my 6-year-old, he’s in charge of opening cans and keeping track of the timer. When the timer dings he’s excited to put the next batch of ingredients into the pot.

The soup starts with one large beef bone. You can usually get one inexpensively at your local grocery store. Just ask the butcher in the meat department. Make sure to request one that will fit in your big pot!

Ingredients:
1 large beef bone
1 pound stew beef
3 quarts water
2 large cans of tomatoes
2 large onions, chopped
3 tablespoons salt
2 thin lemon slices
1/2 red pepper pod
1/2 cup barley
1 cup diced turnips
2 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped parsley
1 can butter beans
1 can corn

Place the beef bone, stew beef, and water in your large pot and simmer for two hours, then skim off the frothy fat. Add tomatoes, onions, salt, lemon slices, red pepper, and barley and cook for one more hour. Next add turnips, carrots, celery, and parsley and cook for an additional hour. Finally, add butter beans and corn and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove bones and lemon slices. Serve in large bowls accompanied by fresh baguette or crispy French rolls. Yields enough to feed a hungry group of five adults plus some leftovers.

With this recipe, I hope you’re able to spend more time playing this Memorial Day.

–Martha Snodgrass