Brussels Sprout Hamburg Soup

Yes. You read that correctly. I made a fantastic soup using brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts are a member of the cabbage family and they do resemble tiny cabbages. In terms of flavour, they taste very similar to cabbage. They become translucent  in their appearance once they've been simmered over a low flame, for a couple of hours and the intensity of the cabbage flavour softens.

The ingredients needed are:

1. 5 cups of beef broth;
2. 5 cups of spring water;
3. 1 large sweet potato, chopped;
4. 2 stalkes of celery, chopped;
5. 2 large carrots, chopped;
6. 1 lb of brussels sprouts;
7. 227 grams or 8 ounces of white mushrooms, sliced;
8. 2 tbsp of coconut oil (for frying the mushrooms and onions);
9. 1 lb of lean ground beef;
10. 1 medium size white onion, chopped;
11. and pink Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Tools needed:

1. a large butcher's knife and cutting board;
2. a large stock pot that will hold at least 3 litres or 12 cups of fluid;
3. a medium size frying pan;
4. a spatula;
5. and a large wooden spoon. 

Directions:

• This is the concentrated beef broth that was the by-product of cooking a large roast of beef in a slow cooker. If it's strained off and left to sit for 24 hours in a refrigerator to cool, the fat will solidify on the top and you'll be easily able to lift it right off the top and discard it. This particular bowl contained 5 cups of concentrated broth and after a day in the fridge, I was able to lift the fat layer off in one piece.
• Add 5 cups of beef broth and 5 cups of water to a large stock pot and set the flame to a medium low heat.

• Fry the mushroom in 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Once cooked, add them to the beef broth in the simmering stock pot. 

• Using the same pan and residual coconut oil, saute the white onions until they are translucent. 

• Add the beef, cooking and breaking it up with the onions until it is browned all the way through. (Approximately 10 minutes.)

• Drain off any extra fat and add this beef mixture to the simmering stock pot.

• Gather the vegetables. Clean, peel and chop them into smaller pieces.

• This is what the brussels sprouts look like, once cleaned and cut. (Cute, tiny cabbages.)

• Add all the vegetables to the simmering stock pot and cook on a low flame for 2 hours. All the vegetables should be soft and cooked through.

• This is what the soup will look like, once it's completely cooked. Transfer this into a heat safe glass bowl to cool. This soup can be stored in the refrigerator and will keep for 5 days or it can be frozen in smaller containers for later use.

Enjoy!

I welcome your comments and invite you to join me...there is always room for one more at my table. ;)

~ Rebecca Ryan