Beef and Mushroom Soup With Orzo

Submitted by Eva99

"This soup is best prepared in two installments. Make the broth one day, refrigerate overnight and remove any fat. Add the sautéed vegetables and orzo the next day."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs 20mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 lbs boneless beef chuck
• 1 onion, unpeeled, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1⁄2 cup chopped celery
• 1⁄2 cup chopped carrot
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 lb mushroom, trimmed and coarsely chopped
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1⁄4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 1⁄4 cup orzo pasta

directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy saucepan.
2. Brown the beef; add the onion and brown lightly on the cut side.
3. Add the bay leaf and water.
4. Heat over medium heat until almost boiling.
5. For a clearer broth, do not let boil.
6. Cook, uncovered, at a gentle simmer for 2 hours.
7. Strain broth through a sieve lined with dampened paper towels.
8. Chill overnight and finish soup next day or continue with recipe.
9. Pull meat into strings; set aside.
10. Heat the remaining oil in saucepan.
11. Add chopped onion, celery and carrot.
12. Sauté until golden, about 10 minutes.
13. Stir in garlic, sauté 1 minute more.
14. Add the mushrooms, sauté until golden, about 10 minutes.
15. Season with salt and pepper.
16. Add the shredded meat and broth to the sautéed vegetables; stir in parsley, frozen vegetables and orzo.
17. Heat to boiling.
18. Simmer, uncovered, until orzo is tender, about 15 minutes.
19. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Reviews

[Anulazuli]

It turns out that you can brown the meat ahead of time and then put it in a crock-pot with water and the bay leaves, very useful if you don't mind doing prep work before hand. My family found it a bit lacking in taste as far as spices go, My mother said that she thought it would be good with more garlic as well, and I added a few dashes of sweet hungarian paprika to the soup when I was browning the meat, but I will add more next time. we love things with rich flavor, when you are choosing a vegetable mix, I reccomend one with some baby potatoes in it, because putting in frozen potatoes which were almost fully cooked already turns them into little balls of mashed potatoes almost. next time I might have a rosmary bread with it, but all in all, a very good and hearty soup.