O’Charley’s Pepper Steak Soup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1/3 cup diced green pepper
1/3 cup diced fresh celery
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups water
3 beef-flavored bouillon cubes, or to taste
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 cup cooked potato pieces (microwaved or baked)
Black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
5 ounces cooked rib-eye steak (baked or fried), cut up
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Melt butter or margarine in a small stockpot or Dutch oven set over
medium-high heat. When butter foams, add onions, green pepper and celery.
Stir to coat. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften and
brown. Add flour, and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring often.
When flour smells “nutty” and is browned, add water. Cover, and bring to a
boil. Add bouillon cubes. Stir until blended.
Add half-and-half, potatoes, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Simmer 15 to
20 minutes. Add steak chunks; simmer 10 minutes. Mix cold water with
cornstarch. Add to soup; cook to thicken. Mixture will be almost thick
enough to eat with a fork, and salty from the bouillon cubes. (Do not add
extra salt.)
Serves 1 to 2.
Source: Louisville KY Courier Journal newspaper, 2003