Steak Soup

From Clinkerdagger restaurant in Spokane, Washington

Ingredients
1 cup margarine
½ cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup diced celery
2 quarts cold water
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ lb frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup sliced carrots
12 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 lb ground beef
2 ½ oz Le Gout beef stock base (I use the "Better than Bouillon" paste)

Directions
Set steam kettle on med. heat. Add margarine and allow to melt. Add the chopped onions, carrots and celery and cook until clear, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add flour to make roux and bring to 180 degrees. Add ½ of the water and all of the beef base. Cook 20 minutes. Add the rest of the water and the chopped tomatoes with juice. Cook 10 minutes and add mixed vegetables.

Place ground beef on a cookie sheet, evenly distributed, and cook in oven at 500 degrees about 10 minutes until brown. Chop into 1x1 chunks after cooled and add to soup.

Note: It is important to use Le Gout's beef base or a similar product. Le Gout's is a paste base, not a dry (powder) base.