What better than soup between the holidays! As a 'brainy' frugal cook, I always begin any soup with a good rich stock because it can become any soup during the week; in fact, it can be three different kinds. I never make a 'recipe' soup. Why? Because, like my Nona, there isn't a recipe soup... in her kitchen it did not exist. Why? Because, she was frugal 'brainy' gourmet. That means she always used what she had on hand and had to use up. Yes, I know we live in a throw away culture and fear that if something is in the fridge for two or three days it must have gone bad. Fear not! Food goes bad when you leave it on the counter for a day or two but not when covered and refrigerated.
I happen to love beef stock as much as I love chicken stock. This week, I had a taste for beef. I happen to have in my freezer some nice beef ribs and they do make good rich stock. Cooked with one whole large onion, salt and dried herbs you get quite a well flavored beef stock (5 quarts). To that stock, use only what you need for the kind of soup you want to make for that day/evening; take one quart and add tomatoes for tomato soup, or you can add mushrooms or even beet root to make 'Barszcz'. Perhaps, you have a taste for Minestrone or just a vegetable beef with rice or pasta.
For me personally, I love beef noodle, nothing else in it.
Serve with crusty Italian bread with butter and get eating.
~Tutti a Tavola!
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