Vegetable-Beef Soup

• 14-ounce piece lean salt pork or 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 3 marrow bones
• 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat (rump or shoulder), cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
• 2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups fresh or frozen baby lima beans
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green beans
• 2 cups fresh or frozen okra, sliced thin
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• Generous pinch sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat a heavy 6-quart pot over medium heat.
2. Add the salt pork and saute until golden.
3. Remove it and set aside.
4. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high (add vegetable oil, if using).
6. In batches, brown the marrow bones and stew meat.
7. Add 3 quarts of water and the salt pork.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours, skimming off any foam.
9. Add the tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery and parsnips; return to a boil.
10. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
11. Add the lima beans and green beans.
12. Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
13. Add the okra and simmer 20 minutes.
14. Remove marrow bones and salt pork.
15. Add the corn and peas and cook for about 10 more minutes, until cooked through.
16. Skim off the fat from the surface and discard.
17. Taste the broth and add sugar, salt and pepper as needed.
18. The soup is ready but improves with age.
19. If not serving immediately, refrigerate after it cools.
20. Before reheating, skim off any congealed fat.
21. If it is too thick, thin with a bit of water.

lean salt, bones, beef stew meat, tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, parsnips, beans, frozen okra, corn, generous, salt

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1733 (may not work)