Samba Beef Vegetable Soup

Hearty South American soup pot. Serve with hot, fresh cornbread.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 2  lbs stewing beef, finely diced
• 1  cup onion, diced
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 2 1⁄4 cups water, divided
• 2  cups  v- 8  juice or 2  cups tomato juice
• 1  tablespoon vinegar
• 1  bay leaf
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons cumin seeds
•  black pepper
• 4  cups celery, chopped in 2-inch slices
• 1  cup carrot, sliced
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  cup corn (fresh or frozen)

Directions

1. Brown beef slowly in oil in a soup pot. Remove beef.
2. Sauté onion and garlic until tender, but not browned.
3. Add 2 cups water, V-8 or tomato juice, vinegar, bay leaf, cumin seed, salt and pepper. Return beef to pot; bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour.
5. Remove bay leaf (if you can find it).
6. Add celery, carrots and oregano. Bring back to boil.
7. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes.
8. Add corn. Cover; simmer 5 minutes.