19th Hole Vegetable Soup

One of the great benefits of living in the fly over zone occurred today ---several inches of perfect powder fell over night on the high plains and the golf course was gleaming. It took me about five minutes to decide to strap on the cross country skis and head out the front door. What a luxury to have an entire 18 hole course to myself! Someone had circumnavigated the course a little earlier in the day, and I followed their trail.

After 2 hours of "following my bliss" I arrived home ready to prepare a hearty winter soup for dinner.

I recently purchased a beef chuck blade roast (pot roast) on sale for $1.99 per pound (significantly less than lean ground chuck). Anxious to dust off my "Number 1 Food & Meat Chopper" which has been languishing on the top pantry shelf for years and grind some beef myself, I got going. This is EASY and ECONOMICAL, and if you have been reading lately about the ingredients in commercial hamburgers, you will be interested in grinding your own. At least you'll know what went into it--and you can use as prime a cut as you wish.

My grinder was made by the Union Manufacturing Company, New Britain, Conn. If they aren't available at the local hardware store, try a second hand store or eBay. It's a very worthwhile gadget. Your grandmother undoubtedly had one (and may still have it!)

Assemble the grinder and clamp it securely to any table or counter. I always protect the table with an old bath towel so that the metal clamp and screw mechanism do not scratch kitchen counters or find wood tables. My grinder has 3 cutting disks and I used medium today. Cut the roast into chunks and trim off any connective tissue (the shiny white stuff between the muscle groups). Each chunk should sized to approximately fit into the hopper.

Place a flat soup bowl or plate under the food outlet to catch the chopped meat. I use the skillet (frying pan) that I plan to use to brown this meat for my soup (saves dish washing) to catch. HINT: place another folded towel or rag on the floor to catch any juice drips--there will be a some.

Start cranking! SAFETY TIP: Press meat chunks into hopper the heel or palm of your hand. NO FINGERS PLEASE. It would be easy to catch a finger in the feed screw.

When finished, wash the meat grinder with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly. These "vintage" tools will rust on the cutting edges if not completely dried. I don't recommend the dishwasher for this--but if you have a more modern grinder, maybe it won't rust. Wipe a little plain vegetable oil over the cutting disc edges and store for next time.

19th Hole Beef Vegetable Soup

1 pound ground beef (your own or from the store) browned in a small amount of vegetable oil and drained on paper towels

2 quarts stock (your own or canned or made with concentrate)

1 cup chopped tomato (canned is fine in winter)

1 cup carrots, thinly sliced at an angle

1 cup celery thinly sliced straight across (for variety)

3 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, peeled and medium diced

3 bay leaves

1 tsp salt (taste stock first--if canned, you may not need to add salt)
1 tsp ground black pepper or more to taste
1 tsp imported Hungarian paprika or more to taste (sweet or smoky)
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder (optional)

Bring the stock to a boil. Use beef stock if you are using beef in the soup. If you want to substitute leftover cooked chicken for the meat, use chicken stock. If you are a vegetarian, use vegetable stock.

Add the browned meat, onion and tomato. Add bay leaves, salt and pepper. Simmer at least 20 minutes. Stir in paprika and/or chili powder if desired.

Five minutes before serving, add 1 cup frozen peas or frozen beans. Just heat through. These vegetables are already cooked. You may used any leftover vegetables you have on hand--fresh, canned, or frozen. It is best to pre-cook raw vegetables before adding to the stock. Prevents every vegetable from tasting the same.

Pre cook technique: Peel vegetables as needed, chop to desired bite size, place in a microwave proof dish with a little water, cover with glass lid or plastic wrap and microwave until done. Onions done this way take 2- 3 minutes, for example. Saves calories and cleanup from frying. Can be used for almost any vegetable--some will take longer to microwave, of course, depending on your microwave, etc.

If you have time, make soup earlier in the day or a day ahead and let stand overnight (refrigerated) to develop flavors. Add peas or beans at the last minute and re-heat.

More soup variations coming...


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