Beef Vegetable Soup With Polenta

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal, stone-ground
• 3 cups cold water
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 3/4 lbs meaty shin beef, center cut with bone, trimmed of any fat
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups plum tomatoes, diced fresh
• 2 stalks celery, washed and quartered
• 16 baby carrots
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fine sea salt
• grinding coarse black pepper
• 12 whole cloves, tied in a small piece cheesecloth
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• 10 cups hot water

Recipe

• 1 in a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and brown the beef shin slowly on all sides.
• 2 add the onion, tomatoes, celery, carrots, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaf, oregano, basil, and the water.
• 3 stir the ingredients with a wooden spoon and bring to a boil. lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until the beef shin is tender when pierced with a knife.
• 4 with a slotted spoon remove the beef bones, carrots, and celery and place on a cutting board.
• 5 remove the cloves and discard.
• 6 pour the remaining liquid and ingredients through a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. press on the solids to extract the juices, then discard the solids.
• 7 pour the liquid into a large bowl and set aside.
• 8 trim the meat from the bones and shred it into small pieces. add the meat to the liquid in the bowl.
• 9 cut the carrots and celery into thin slices and add them to the bowl.
• 10 cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (you can omit this step and skim the fat while warm if you prefer).
• 11 when ready to use, remove the plastic wrap; scoop off the fat that has congealed at the top of the bowl and discard it.
• 12 pour the soup back into a soup pot and heat on low until hot.
• 13 place a slice of polenta in each individual soup bowl.
• 14 ladle the soup over the polenta and serve immediately.
• 15 refrigerate the remaining soup for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• 16 to make the polenta, pour the cornmeal into a 1 1/2-quart saucepan and stir in the water with a wooden spoon.
• 17 cook, stirring, over medium heat until the cornmeal starts to thicken and leave the sides of the pan.
• 18 cook for about 15 minutes, always stirring in one direction to keep the mixture smooth.
• 19 pour the polenta out onto a cutting board, spread it evenly, and let cool. cut the polenta into 8 pieces, cover with a piece of wax paper, set aside, and keep warm.
• 20 tip: you can make the polenta ahead of time. cool, cover, and refrigerate it. when needed, cut it into pieces and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until hot in a preheated 350ºf oven.