Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 pounds beef short ribs
• 1 pound stew meat
• 2 quarts cold water
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato paste with garlic, basil and oregano or pesto flavor
• 1.5 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• Season to taste using cajun season blend
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 head of cabbage chopped
• 8 to 12 mini corn on cob: frozen
• 3 pound bag of frozen vegetables
• 1 cup of uncooked ditalini pasta

How to cook:

1. Place meat in heated oil in a large roaster, over medium heat. Cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
2. Add tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, then add tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, black pepper and bay leaves, cook for about a further 5 minutes.
3. Add stock and water, bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Cover the pot; reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
5. Skim off fat from soup. Add the remaining vegetables return the soup to a boil, stirring to distribute the ingredients.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer till vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes.
7. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper or favourite Creole/Cajun season blend.
8. Boil ditalini and set aside.
9. To remove excess fat from the surface of the soup, swirl a lettuce leaf around the surface—it will pick up most of the fat.
10. Serve soup over boiled ditalini

Vegetable soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 quarts cold water
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato paste garlic, basil and oregano or pesto flavour
• 1.5 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup diced bell pepper
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• Season to taste, with cajun season blend
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 head of cabbage, chopped
• 8 to 12 mini corn on cob: frozen
• 3 pound bag of frozen vegetables
• 1 cup of uncooked ditalini

How to cook:

1. Place oil in a large roaster over medium heat.
2. Add tomato paste, cook for 3 minutes, then add tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, black pepper and bay leaves and cook for about a further 5 minutes.
3. Add stock and water and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Cover the pot; reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers, for half hour.
5. Add the remaining vegetables, return the soup to a boil, stirring to distribute the ingredients.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer till vegetables are tender, about 30-45 minutes.
7. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper or favourite Creole/Cajun season blend.
8. Boil ditalini and set aside.
9. To remove excess fat from the surface of the soup, swirl a lettuce leaf around the surface—it will pick up most of the fat.
10. Serve soup over boiled ditalini