Spicy Brussels sprout stew with beef

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 ½ kg lean beef soup meat
• 3 m.-sized onion(s)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cloves
• 5 juniper berries
• 300 g potatoes, floury
• 200 g celeriac
• 300 g carrot(s)
• 600 g Brussels sprouts
• 1 small leek(s)
• 3 stalks of lovage
• salt and pepper
• 1 bunch marjoram, alternatively freeze-dried

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours

Wash the beef for the soup (I prefer boiled beef), cover with 1 1/2 liters of water, and bring to a boil. You can also add the beef to boiling water; this will keep it super moist, but the broth won’t be as strong. With really good beef for the soup, this will work too. If possible, don’t skim off the foam; instead, stir it in well. Peel and halve the onions and add them to the pot with the seasonings. Then simmer everything gently over medium heat for about 2 hours. In the meantime, peel, wash, and roughly dice the potatoes and celery. Peel, wash, and slice the carrots. Trim, wash, and halve the Brussels sprouts. Trim, wash, and slice the leeks. Wash the lovage, shake dry, and finely chop. Remove the meat from the broth. Strain the broth, then bring back to a boil. Add the vegetables and lovage to the broth and simmer for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the beef into large cubes, add it back to the broth, and bring it to a boil briefly. Season the stew generously with salt and pepper. Wash the marjoram, shake it dry, pluck the leaves from the stems, and finely chop them, leaving a few for garnish. Serve the Brussels sprout stew in a beautiful soup tureen and sprinkle with the chopped marjoram. Garnish with the remaining marjoram leaves to serve.