Boeuf Bourguignon Soup

My friend Laurie made this soup and said it was delicious. It made me think of Julie and Julia and her Boeuf Bourguignon, baked in the oven--the first batch ruined.  Although I've never made it, I did make a delicious soup from a recipe in Fanny Farmer Cookbook that used ribs.  That was back in the 70s, haven't cooked with ribs in years.  But if you think about it, this recipe is similar to beef stew, only soupy and with added bacon and minus the potatoes.  Yummy for a cold winter day.  Serve with gluten-free bread or rice tortillas. 

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living, December 2010

4 bone-in short ribs (2 lbs total) Grass-fed if possible.

Salt & pepper

2 tablespoons non GMO cornstarch or rice flour

3 Tbl olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms, quartered

1 pound carrots, chopped into 3/4 inch pieces

2 strips bacon (non-nitrated from Trader Joe's)

3 shallots, minced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 Tbl tomato paste

2 sprigs thyme (you can grow this on your windowsill)

1 bay leaf (optional)

1 cup red wine

8 cups organic beef stock

2 cups water

rice noodles, cooked

1. Dredge ribs in seasoned (salt and pepper) rice flour or corn starch. Brown ribs in hot oil.  Remember, the darker you brown the beef, the richer the broth. Remove meat and brown the mushrooms in same oil.  Remove mushrooms to another plate to be added back at end.

2. Place carrots in pot with bacon, shallots, celery. Cook, stirring until the vegetables are caramelized and tender. Add tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf to the pot, then pour in red wine. Use a wooden spoon to glaze brownies from the bottom of the pot.

3. Add in beef stock and water. Return meat to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, and allow to cook for 2 1/2 hours. Remove ribs and separate meat from bones.  Add back along with mushrooms about twenty minutes before serving. Serve with rice noodles cooked al dente.