Pan Seared Steak & Vegetable Noodle Soup Garnished With Baco

Nothing is better during the cold winter months than a savory bowl of homemade soup. Beef and vegetable are among my favorites, so I really had fun tweaking my recipe to include ingredients from the list. While the ketchup and green pepper added a nice point of flavor, my personal favorite addition was the red radishes. They worked wonderfully as a replacement for my usual choice of turnips. They added a delicious spiciness and crunch and I will be using them in cooked dishes in the future!

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 6  slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1  lb  round steak, trimmed and cubed
• 1  medium yellow onions or 1  large yellow onion, chopped coarsely
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup water
• 7  cups beef broth
• 28  ounces  canned diced tomatoes with juice
• 1⁄2 cup ketchup
• 1  dash  hot pepper sauce (to taste)
• 3  carrots, chopped coarsely
• 3  celery ribs, chopped coarsely
• 1  cup red radish, chopped coarsely
• 1  green pepper, chopped coarsely (seeds and membranes removed)
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano flakes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (reserve 1/4 cup)
•  salt and pepper (to taste)
• 2  cups  flat egg noodles, medium
• 4  small fresh basil leaves, minced

Directions

1. Fry bacon crisp; remove to paper towel, leaving bacon grease in pan.
2. Drain and blot bacon thoroughly, then crumble and set aside.
3. Add steak to frying pan, searing each side for about 4 minutes, until well browned. Remove steak from pan and place in large stock pot.
4. Add onion and garlic to frying pan and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally. Place on paper towel to drain and blot then add to stock pot.
5. Add water, broth, tomatoes (and liquid), ketchup, pepper sauce, vegetables, herbs, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Stir in pasta and continue boiling 8 to 10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
7. Remove bay leaf and discard.
8. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with bacon and fresh herbs.
9. Serving suggestion: Serve with crisp green salad and home-made pop-overs or hot bread.