OLD-WORLD TOMATO SOUP

OLD-WORLD TOMATO SOUP

3 quarts water
4 beef short ribs (about 2 lbs.)
2-3 meaty soup bones (about 2 lbs.)
1 can (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes, with liquid
3 celery ribs, halved
1 large onion, quartered
½ cup fresh chopped parsley, divided
1 tbsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. pepper
4 carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
2 parsnips, peeled and quartered
2 cups (16-oz.) sour cream
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground nutmeg, optional
1 package (8-oz.) egg noodles, cooked and drained

In a large kettle, combine water, ribs, soup bones, celery, tomatoes, onion, ¼ cups parsley, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add carrots and parsnips; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat and vegetables are tender. With a slotted spoon, remove meat, bones and vegetables. Strain broth and skim off fat; return all but 1-cup broth to the kettle. Set reserved broth aside. Remove meat from the bone, dice and return to kettle. Discard celery and onion. Cut parsnip, carrots and tomatoes into ½-inch pieces and return to kettle. Add remaining parsley. In a bowl, combine sour cream, flour, nutmeg if desired and reserve broth; stirs into soup. Add noodles. Cook and stir until thickened and heated through (do not boil).

Yield: 16-20 servings.