Lentil Beef Soup

As soon as the cool air hit, I began making soups like a crazzzzy soup lady.  Ask my kids, they will testify on my behalf.  Every gathering prior to Christmas if I was cooking, it was soup!  And one of the favorites I made each time was this lentil beef soup.  There is just something about it that screams comfort.  It’s just thick enough, the lentils give it a creamy consistency and the fall apart beef melts in your mouth.  For me there is nothing better than gathering friends and family around the table (or standing in the kitchen) with a big bowl of hot soup and crust bread.

 

As the winter wears on, this remains a favorite.  I love making this and pouring it into jars and freezing them for lunches.  Having a hot lunch at the ready is amazing on a snowy cold blogging day.  It reminds me of that Campbell’s soup commercial where the snowman comes in from the cold and defrosts into a kid while he eats his soup.  Comfort and joy.  It is also wonderful to be able to make the day before and just toss on simmer during the Sunday game or before guests come over.  Sit back relax and let the kitchen be somewhat clean before they show up, that’s my kind of entertaining….that’s my kind of Sunday evening.  Whether it’s for a gathering of friends and family or for your week night family dinner, we hope this soup warms you from the inside out.

Lentil Beef Soup

4 Short Ribs (I have used both with and without bone, you can decide)

1  32oz carton of beef broth

1  28oz can of tomato puree

6 cups of water

1 1/2 cups of lentils

1 medium to large onion chopped

2 stalk of celery chopped

2 carrots chopped

3 cloves of garlic smashed and chopped

3/4 cup frozen for frozen or fresh kale chopped

salt and pepper

olive oil

In a stock pot heat a few tablespoons of olive oil and add the short ribs to the pot.  Brown on both sides then add onion, celery, carrot and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Once the onion is translucent add the beef broth and scrape any little bits off the bottom. (this is when you could transfer this to a crock pot) Simmer covered for an hour and a half on low.  The meat will start to pull apart, but just leave it simmering away for awhile.  Add the tomato puree and water along with the water, salt and pepper.  Bring to a slow boil, then reduce again to a simmer for at least another hour and a half.  The longer it cooks, the better it is.  Pull out the sort ribs -at this point they will be falling apart as you pull them out.  Shred them with two forks and return the meat to the pot along with the kale.  Simmer for a 30 more minutes on medium low with the lid off.  Enjoy!