Our New Year's Day party buffet included a beautiful and delicious rib roast, done to perfection. (I'll share the method with you in a separate post.) We had intended to keep the guest list short for this particular party, but we kept thinking of people we wanted to invite, so the list kept getting longer and therefore the menu also kept expanding. Then a flu epidemic hit our island and we had so many people not able to attend due to illness. Hence, leftover prime rib. Not altogether a bad outcome.
So we continued to eat mini beef and horseradish sandwiches for a few days, but eventually, as with all leftovers, the time came when it the last of the roast had to be used or soon thrown out. So, when I remembered my promise in an earlier post to experiment with a soup idea I'd dubbed Steakhouse Soup, the plan for Sunday night supper was in place.
DINE-IN STEAKHOUSE SOUP
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed - or however many potatoes of any kind you have on hand, raw or leftovers
2 lg onions - or whatever amount you have on hand
2 c chopped leftover cooked beef - or however much you have on hand
mushrooms - add if you have some (if canned, you can add the liquid, too)
1 quart/litre beef broth or french onion soup base or more, so that veggies are covered (homemade,
commercial or made from bouillon)
ground black pepper and salt to taste
options: sour cream, green onions/chives, freshly ground pepper, bleu cheese crumbles, horseradish
Start the onions and mushrooms (if using) cooking over medium heat in a little EVOO in your largest saucepan (Dutch oven size). As the potatoes get cubed (if they're raw) add them to the pot. When the onions and mushrooms are tender, or when you're finished cubing and adding the potatoes, whichever comes last, add the stock/broth and the meat. Raise the temperature to bring to a boil, then reduce and allow it to simmer. When the potatoes are done (if you started with raw), check the flavor and adjust for salt, pepper, bouillon. If your potatoes were raw, it will require more salt than if your potatoes were already seasoned. So trust your taste buds and season it the way you and your family like it. It really only needs to simmer 5-10min beyond the time it takes to cook the potatoes, so its a very quick and hearty meal. Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, fresh ground pepper and chives or green onions, all optional.
