Bok Choy Beef Broth Soup with Lentils

Boy do I dislike it when food goes to waste.  There is nothing worse than when you go to get something you had plans for and low and behold it is rotten.   Since I really don’t like to be disappointed, I try hard to multipurpose food whenever possible as to avoid waste. 

Today’s  soup does just that.  The bone that came out of the beef roast yesterday will be re-purposed to make a most delicious stock. I mean this stock is so good you could put cardboard in with it and make it taste good.  The outstanding flavor comes from the fact that the bones were smoked on the BBQ when we pre-grilled the roast.  This step not only made the roast mouth-watering but  will also added an intensity of flavor to this beef stock. 

KITCHEN TIP: Don’t have time to put those bones to use by making stock or a soup?  Freeze them in a ziplock bag.  Remove from freezer and place directly into water when ready to make stock.

Ingredients
 4-6cups of beef stock
 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
 3 Large carrots, diced into 1/4” pieces 
1 medium sweet onion, diced 
1 bunch of bok choy
2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
sea salt, to taste
15 ounces of tomato puree
1 cup green lentils, uncooked

                                     

Place the beef shank in a medium sized pot and cover with filtered water.  Let it simmer until the water is reduced to about half.  So effortless, yet so flavorful. 

I usually put the stock on in the morning and turn it off by lunch.

Let's put these smokey bones to use.

Reduced to half

While the stock is simmering, chop your veggies. 

The bok choy is a lovely compliment to the beef stock and really makes this soup.  

 If you can’t find bok choy, you can substitute with cabbage, kale or collards.  Chop the bock choy and add to a separate soup pot with  olive oil, diced onions, carrots and sea salt. 

 Lid the pot and cook the veggies down until soft, stirring occasionally.  Add minced  garlic, and reduced beef stock (bone removed).  Pour in 1 cup of organic lentils and pureed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer on low-medium for about 1 hour until lentils are soft and flavors are well melded. 

Bok Choy Beef Broth soup with Lentils

 We enjoyed this with some whole wheat sourdough bread.  MMMMM.