Beef & Root Veggie Soup

Anne-Lise's recipe.
Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 lbs of beef shank with marrow bones cut flat like a thick steak
  (OR substitute lamb shoulder/shank cut flat if possible)
• 2 tennis to baseball sized rutabagas cubed (1-2 inch)
• 2 tennis to baseball sized turnips cubed
• 1-2 carrots or some baby carrots cut to 1-2 inch rounds
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dry)
• 1 tsp dry oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 8-12 peppercorns
• 2 cloves garlic - chopped
• 1 tsp salt

Heat oven to 450°F. Grease a baking pan with an edge: oil it or smear bacon fat on the bottom. I use a heavy roasting pan.

Put meat in 1 layer in the baking pan. Sprinkle top side with a little coarse pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes. You can skip this step but browning the meat will give more flavor.

Take the meat out and cut it into bite sized cubes and keep the bones. Add the meat, pan juices, and bones to a large soup pot.

Add 6-8 cups of water (beef should be covered by about 2 inches of water). Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Shank needs to be cooked a long time or it will be tough.

Add spices and cut up veggies and cook for 20-30 minutes more.

Taste the soup and splash in two shakes of Lea & Perrins if its too bland. Add more salt & pepper to taste.