Hamburger soup: a shortcut to comfort

Come January, everyone seems to want to eat healthier. The problem, however, is when cold weather comes our way our desire to shed the extra holiday pounds is often trumped by our stronger desire for comfort foods.

I posted a quick blog last week to find out what folks crave this time of year, when temperatures fall below 20 degrees. A sampling of what T-G online readers crave includes casseroles, chicken 'n dumplings, macaroni and cheese, fresh baked bread, hot bagels, pizza, ice cream (Did you know ice cream sales are higher in the winter months than the summer months?), and beef stew.

I was at the store last night and it was evident that the grocer was going through ground beef fairly quickly.

"I guess everyone must be making chili," one shopper said.

Though I wasn't in the store to buy ingredients for chili (which happens to be a great comfort food that's also healthy) I was there to buy some lean ground beef for this week's Simply Delish.

I really struggled this week to find something that filled my craving for comfort food that didn't completely go against my hope to eat a little better in the New Year. (I mean, really, do I have to use butter every night of the week?) Remember, in this column, I try to focus on quick and easy meals that are good for the work week. Like many of you, I do not have a lot of time after work to spend hours preparing a big meal, so I knew the recipe I've been wanting to make -- Beef Stew in Biscuit Bowls -- was out of the question. That recipe is by Aida Mollenkamp of the Food Network and though amazingly delicious, it takes about three hours to make.

I believe it was Rachel Ray who came up with the term "stoup," among her many Rachel-isms, referring to a thick soup that's not quite as thick as a stew.

I feel as though I found the perfect stoup in Janet's Hamburger Soup. Janet is my editor Kent Flanagan's wife and she provided this week's recipe. It can be made more as a traditional soup or, fit it to your needs and make it a little thicker if you want. I turned it into my own stoup and it fit all my criteria for a healthy (I made it with very lean ground beef), hearty, weeknight meal.

It's so quick and easy to make that it serves as a great weeknight meal when you don't have time to go all out with a tradition beef stew that might take hours. Save that for Sunday!

Janet's recipe, which she suggested I follow loosely and make it my own, features lean beef, onion, celery, carrots, corn, potatoes, but you could certainly use whatever vegetables you like. What's a little different here is the broth, which is derived from a combination of beef broth, V-8 juice and red wine.

I would recommend adding this recipe, which follows, to your collection of healthy, hearty, comforting weeknight meals for those cold winter months. I am also including Mollenkamp's recipe for the longer version of beef stew, just in case you feel extra ambitious. Enjoy!

Janet's Hamburger Soup (or stoup!)

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 coursely chopped medium Spanish onion or yellow onion (not sweet)

4 ribs of celery, chopped

1 lb. back of carrots trimmed and cut into bite size pieces (I used the ready-to-eat snack carrots)

about a cup of red wine (I bought a mini bottle of wine and used the whole thing)

1 can of V-8 juice

1 can beef broth (use more if you want more broth)

1 tsp. of thyme or more to taste

salt and pepper

In large soup pan brown hamburger over medium heat. When beef is barely browned, add onion and cook until onion turns translucent. Add vegetables and spices and stir. Add liquid ingredients to your desire, and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are cooked.

Beef Stew with Biscuits (Aida Mollenkamp)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

5 medium carrots (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces

5 celery ribs (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces

6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 medium bay leaf

3/4 cup dry red wine

1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups beef broth

1/3 cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves

For the biscuits:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/3 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops

In a small bowl, mix the flour, cayenne, and the salt and pepper until evenly combined. Pat the meat dry, then sprinkle with the flour mixture and toss to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven (or oven-ready saucepan) over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add half of the meat and sear until brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are brown, about 5 minutes.

Heat oven to 325 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle.

Add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf and stir to coat. Stir in the wine and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the potatoes and stir to coat.

Add the meat and any accumulated juices, and the beef broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the stew with a lid and transfer to oven. Cook until the beef is knife tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

When beef is almost ready, make the biscuits. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, thyme, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Stir in the cream until a loose dough forms. Lightly flour a clean work surface, turn the dough out onto the surface, and knead briefly until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pat into a 1-inch thick circle and cut into 8 wedges.

Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the stew from the oven. Uncover the stew, and stir in the parsley. Top the stew with the biscuits and brush with a little cream. Return the pot to the oven bake until the tops are crispy and golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

-- Sadie Fowler is lifestyles editor of the Times-Gazette. E-mail her at sfowler@t-g.com.