Recipe courtesy Kirk Cheramie
Kirk's Brisket Vegetable Soup
ingredients: 1 whole beef brisket (trimmed)
several whole bay leaves
1/2 cup Lea & Perrins
1 can tomato paste
2 cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
3 large yellow onions (diced)
2 large green peppers (diced)
5-6 stalks celery with leaves attached (diced)
1 head of cabbage (cut into two inch squares)
1 lb fresh green beans (cut as desired)
1 can baby lima beans
1 can whole red beans
2 cans petite pois
1 can navy beans
salt
pepper
process: 1. Bake brisket (whole) in covered pan at 350 degrees for 4 hours with 6 cups of water, bay leaves (on top of meat and in water), red wine vinegar, Lea & Perrins, salt and pepper.
2. Once meat is cooked, remove meat (reserve stock) and cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces and set aside. Remove oil from stock and reserve stock.
3. Saute onions, peppers and celery in peanut oil.
Once mixture is slightly browned, add tomato paste and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching.
4. Place brisket, stock and saute mixture in large soup pot. Add enough water to cover entire contents and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients, adding water as needed to cover entire mixture.
5. Bring to a full boil and then reduce to a slow boil for approximately 1/2 hour. Take off heat and skim any remaining oil. Serve with home made, stone ground whole wheat or grain bread, toasted and buttered (for dipping).
Hint: The soup is better the next day after it has been refrigerated. Congealed fat is easier to remove, and spices have a chance to have a romantic affair overnight.
Serves 10 to 15 anglo saxons or 5 cajuns as a main course.