Peruvian Beef and Potato Soup

Argh! I linked to my photo editor this morning only to find everything, and I mean everything, has changed. Now I know long term I'll come to grips with this, but these changes are coming right on the heels of those made in blogger and with so little breathing room between upgrades I'm no longer sure if I'm right or left brained. As my vocabulary expands and becomes more colorful, I'm ever mindful that "those whom the gods would destroy they first make mad." That's mad as in angry, not as in insane. While I was able to load my photos, the rest of the process remains a (ladylike) crap shoot, so we'll have to see what transpires. Argh!

I've begun to collect and test recipes for Peruvian food and I was surprise by the importance the potato plays in Peruvian cuisine. As I did my research, I learned that the potato is native to Peru and was first cultivated in the upper climes of the Andes mountains. It was the mainstay of the Incan diet and when the Spaniards took samples back to Europe in the 16th century, it became a universal foodstuff. According to legend, the first thing the gods taught the founders of the Incan empire was how to sow potatoes. Those potatoes would become known as the fruit of the Andes and be revered as icons by some indigenous tribes.

I was delighted when I came across this soup on the Whole Foods Market website. It seemed fast and easy and, more importantly, sounded delicious. It did not disappoint. It is one of those soups that can bridge the seasons and it can be table ready in less than an hour. It's substantial enough to be filling and mild enough that there's a chance, a chance mind you, that the children will eat it. I do hope you will try it. Here's the recipe.

Peruvian Beef and Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3-1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 cup water

2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 bay leaf

1/4 pound dried capellini (angel's hair) pasta

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1)  Cook beef in a large pot over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Remove from pot, set it aside and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.

2)  Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add broth, water, potatoes, cumin and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

3)  Add pasta and simmer until al dente, about 5 minutes. Return browned meat and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Discard bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve. Yield: 4 servings.

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