LYNN BAIN serves up a hearty Mexican beef and vegetable soup.
This recipe is modelled after Caldo de Res, which sounds a little exotic but really it is simply a Mexican beef and vegetable soup. Rich, hearty and delicious, this soup is a ‘meat and many vegetable’ serving all cooked in a single pot.
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I first tried this dish in a town called Del Rio on the Texas/Mexican border while visiting family. When recreating the soup, I often opt for the simplistic approach of using ingredients ‘in season’ and/or what is in our kitchen. Thus lamb, goat and even venison have taken the place of beef on occasion.
Most of the vegetables used in this recipe came from my own garden. It is quite a thrill to wander out the door with a trug and return with it loaded full of a variety of winter vegetables. Incidentally, with my Caldo de Res experiences, I often note that the vegetables are cut into quite large pieces.
Handy hint one: If you are using beef, use beef stock. For any of the other red meat options, you may choose a stock of your choice, including vegetable stock.
Handy hint two: You can add your own choice of toppings on to the soup.
Handy hint three: As mentioned, you can add your choice of vegies to this soup. I have cauliflower, pumpkin, broccoli, peas, chillies, cabbage and capsicum in my vegie garden so that is what I am using here. You could include carrots, more onions, beans, pieces of corn or whatever you have to hand or in your garden.
CALDO DE RES
INGREDIENTS
500g red meat (beef or lamb)
1 tbsp canola oil
A good pinch of freshly ground salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
500ml beef stock (or vegetable stock)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
3 cups water (you might need more)
1 potato, (cut a large potato into eighths; or use smaller spuds)
1 small cauliflower head, broken into florets (or a whole mini-cauliflower per diner)
250g cubed pumpkin (optional)
Vegetables of your choice
Toppings for the soup
1 green chilli, finely shredded
1/2 red capsicum, finely sliced
1 small onion, grated
A good handful chopped coriander
1 lime, quartered
Step 1: Using a heavy based soup/stockpot, heat the canola oil over a medium heat. Add the shank meat to the pot and briefly sear the meat. Season the meat and bone in the pot with the salt and pepper. Brown the meat, turning frequently.
Step 2: Now add the bones to the pot.
Step 3: Add the onion and garlic and continue to cook until the onion has softened and turned golden.
Step 4: Add the beef stock and tinned tomatoes. The beef and bone should be covered by the liquid by about 1cm. If not, use some of the water included in the ingredients until the meat and bone is sufficiently covered. Reduce the heat to low, place the pot lid slightly askew on the pot and continue to cook until the meat is tender.
Step 5: Once the meat is tender, pour the remainder of the water into the pot. Add the corn, potato, cabbage heart (which is often quartered in rustic Mexican restaurants where I have dined on the Tex-Mex border), cauliflower florets, broccoli, zucchini (sliced longways), peas, squash, carrots, as well as any other vegetable of your choosing. Place the lid on the pot and cook until the vegies are tender.
Step 6: Place the garnishes into small bowls for people to add their own to the soup.
Step 7: To serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls. Make sure you use large bowls. Ensure each bowl contains broth, meat and some of each of the vegetables. You can ‘dress’ your soup by adding a squeeze of lime juice and your choice of toppings.
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