Beef Soup with Horseradish Gremolata Crostini

Beef shank is a wonderful cut that is commonly braised in a hearty red wine sauce, but for this recipe one of the muscles on the shank–known as “Bubble Meat”–is poached until tender in a flavourful beef stock and served in a soup that can be enjoyed as a main course along with a gremalota-topped crostini for dipping or to float on top.
Yield 6 Servings Prep. Time 30 min Cooking Time 390 min Total Time 420 min

Ingredients

Here are the following ingredients:

  • 3 lb (1.5 kg) Beef Soup Bones
  • 8 cups (2 L) unsalted beef stock or broth
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • ½ leek, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) whole black peppercorns
  • 2 small or 1 large Beef Boneless Hind Shank (Bubble Meat)(2 to 2 ½ lb/1 to 1.25 kg)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) salt (approx)
  • Horseradish Gremolata Crostini
  • 1 small baguette (a demi-baguette or half regular)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) prepared horseradish

Shopping List

Here are the following shopping items to buy:

Method

Follow these cooking methods/directions:

  1. Rinse beef bones and pat dry with paper towel. Arrange in a single layer in a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Roast in preheated 400°F oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

  2. Transfer roasted bones to a large stock pot or Dutch oven, scraping in brown bits from pan. Add beef stock, carrot, onion, celery, leek, garlic, cloves and peppercorns. Add enough water to cover the bones by about 3 inches (7.5 cm). Bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, skimming of any scum that rises to the surface frequently.

  3. Add Bubble Meat, bay leaves, thyme and salt to the pot. Simmer for 3 hours longer, or until a skewer easily pierces and slides in and out of the bubble meat. Remove the pot from the heat; transfer the meat to a bowl and let both cool to room temperature. Strain the stock through a colander or a large sieve into a clean pot; discarding solids. Cover and refrigerate both stock and meat separately until ready to serve (overnight) or for up to 3 days.

  4. Horseradish Gremolata Crostini: Cut the baguette into about 12 thin slices, about ¼-inch (5 mm) thick. Place in single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides of slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy and golden, turning over if not browning on the undersides. Set aside.

  5. Combine parsley, garlic, lemon zest and horseradish in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (Make ahead: Refrigerate for up to 1 day.)

  6. To serve: bring stock to a simmer over medium heat. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if needed.

  7. Carve the Bubble Meat across the grain into slices no thicker than ½ inch (1 cm). Add the sliced meat to the soup to heat up, about 1 minute.

  8. Ladle the soup into 6 warmed serving bowls and add 2 to 3 slices of meat to each bowl. Spoon Horseradish Gremolata on top of crostini; float 2 crostini in each bowl of soup or serve on the side with spoon, steak knife and fork.