grandpa's beef and wine soup with dumplings.
if i was ever going to compare eating soup to putting on socks warm from the dryer, this soup would be the one i was talking about. beef and wine soup with dumplings is classic, simple home cooking - you can throw this recipe together from prep to table in about 45 minutes. it's fancy enough that it will make you feel like a real chef, and i know i love dishes like that.this soup is seriously really easy, but it tastes like you spent a ton of time on it. if you're hosting a winter dinner party, this soup, plus a winter salad, some crusty bread, cheese and good wine for drinking would simply be heaven.
if anyone is interested, i am just shy of being 1/3 of the way done with cooking all of my grandpa's soup recipes. there are 35 soups total, and i have cooked 10 of them to date. interestingly enough, i'm the most behind on the vegetable soups...i never realized how many different recipes/ingredients there could be for vegetable soups, so i'm going to have to get on that. i'll have to spin it to Mister Man some way so that he is okay with the meatless meal thing. men, i tell ya.
beef and wine soup with dumplings should only be made when you're cold and craving heartiness in your life. i'm even going to go out on a limb and say that this recipe should only ever be made in the winter. i mean, it's delicious, but it just doesn't belong anywhere else. it's like black-eyed peas on new years eve...they just aren't the same any other time of year. i can just imagine my grandpa making this for his family after a frozen day playing outside in st. cloud, minnesota. they always got a ton of snow (they still do), and this would have warmed his family of ten up in no time.
now, you can absolutely feel free to make this without the dumplings if it feels too scary for you...it's still good without them. i'd also recommend using whatever cheap red wine you have on hand. as with all my cooking with wine recipes, i highly support the use of three buck chuck from trader joes (charles shaw for all you who aren't in the know yet). one last tip - remember to cook your beef as you're prepping. i forgot and had to scramble while everything was already in the pot! that's what i get for not reading the recipe close enough at first.
beef and wine soup with dumplings (makes a large batch without doubling)
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 C. onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 3 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 C. celery, chopped
- 22-24 oz. beef broth
- 2 C. red wine
- 2 C. tomato juice
- 2 C. cooked lean beef, diced
- salt and pepper to taste
dice the beef and cook in a large pan. when done, set aside. in a large pot, saute onion, garlic, carrots and celery in the butter until soft (5-6 minutes). stir in broth, wine, tomato juice and beef. simmer covered for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. season to taste with salt and pepper. serve with crusty bread and cheese, and maybe a winter salad if you're feeling adventurous.for the dumplings (you can also use bisquick for an even quicker dumpling)
- 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
in a bowl, mix butter, eggs, flour and salt until smooth. drop mixture by small teaspoonfuls into the soup. cover and simmer for 10 minutes until cooked through.
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