Pepper soup

🥣 A fluid peppery beef-and-potato broth with onion, tomato and ginger, four bowls without feet or offal.

Ingredients

• 600 g boneless stewing beef in 3 cm cubes
• 400 g peeled potatoes in 2 cm cubes
• 120 g sliced onion
• 200 g chopped tomatoes
• 10 g grated ginger
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• Small fresh chilli piece, optional
• 1 litre drinking water, plus hot water if needed
• Up to ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation

Put beef and 1 litre water in a pan. Bring gently to simmer, about ten minutes; skim if needed with a clean spoon.

Add onion, tomato, ginger, thyme, pepper and optional chilli. Partly cover and gently simmer about eighty minutes until meat starts softening.

Check broth level, add hot water if needed and keep soup fluid. Test meat with a fork; extend before adding potatoes if still firm.

Add potato cubes and a little salt. Simmer about twenty minutes until meat tender and potatoes cooked through.

Taste, adjust salt and pepper, remove whole chilli if used. Test one beef piece and potato cube for texture.

Divide meat, potato and broth into four bowls and serve hot. The 110-minute cooking time is a guide; tougher beef needs longer.