Medieval Beef Soup with Turnips and Greens

A hearty historical soup featuring tender cubed beef roast, earthy turnips, and leafy turnip greens slow-cooked in chicken stock infused with saffron. Seasoned with black pepper and butter for a rich, comforting classic meal.

Ingredients

• 1 beef roast (approx. 2 to 3 lbs, cubed)
• 3 to 4 large turnips with greens attached (or substituted with mustard greens)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 stick butter (2 tbsp)
• 0.1g saffron threads
• 1 cup warm water (plus extra as needed)
• Black pepper and salt to taste

Directions

1. Cube the beef roast into bite-sized pieces and melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the beef cubes to the skillet, season with black pepper, and brown evenly on all sides.
3. Trim the greens off the turnips and set aside, then peel and cut the turnips into bite-sized pieces (mustard greens can be substituted if turnip greens are unavailable).
4. Place the cut turnips into a slow cooker and pour in the chicken stock.
5. Transfer the browned beef and pan drippings into the slow cooker, adding an additional cup of warm water if more broth liquid is desired.
6. Steep the saffron threads in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, then pour the saffron water and steeped saffron into the slow cooker along with extra black pepper.
7. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2.5 hours until the beef and turnips are soft and tender.
8. Trim the stems from the turnip greens, chop the leaves vertically, and stir them into the slow cooker during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional pepper or herbs before serving warm.