A hearty beef soup – tasty and easy to make french classics. Serve with crusty bread.
- 2 lb / 900 g bone-in beef ribs
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz / 225 g button mushrooms
- 3 carrots
- 3 shallots
- 2 celery stalks
- 7 oz / 200 g bacon
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 8 cups beef stock
- 2 cups water
- Season ribs with salt and pepper, coat with cornstarch. Put the oil in a heavy pot and heat over medium-high. Brown ribs on all sides and transfer to a plate.
- Clean the mushrooms and cut them to quarters. Slice one of the carrots to rounds. Brown mushrooms in the pot, about 5 mins. Transfer to a bowl. Brown carrot rounds and transfer to the bowl.
- Mince shallots, dice celery, bacon, and the rest of the carrots. Add to pot and cook for 5 minutes, until caramelized. Stir in tomato paste.
- Return ribs to pot, add thyme and bay leaf. Add red wine and raise heat to high. Cook for a minute, scraping up caramelized vegetables with a wooden spoon. Add stock and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours.
- Take ribs out and remove bones. Cut meat into bite-size pieces and return to pot. Add browned mushrooms and carrots. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, until carrots are tender, and serve.
