Spiced Vegetable Soup

1 litre/13/4 pints beef stock
1 litre/13/4 pints water
I x 250 ml/8 fl oz can tomato juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
11/4 teaspoons crushed thyme leaves
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon salt
225 g/8 oz chuck steak, cut into lcm/1/2inch
cubes
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
225 g/8 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into
1cm/1/2inch cubes
100 g/4 oz marrow or courgettes, peeled and cut
into lcm/1/2inch cubes
275 g/10 oz cabbage, coarsely sliced
100 g/4 oz carrots, scraped and sliced
100 g/4 oz celery, sliced
2 corn-on-the-cobs, cut into 2.5 cm/1 inch
lengths
chopped parsley, to garnish

Place the beef stock, water, tomato juice, onion, thyme, garlic, salt and meat in a pan. Add the black peppercorns and cloves, tied in muslin. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

Add the potatoes and marrow or courgettes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots, celery and corn. Cover and simmer for about I() minutes or until the meat and vegetables are tender. Serve the soup sprinkled with chopped parsley.

SERVES 6 to 8