Gluten-free Beef Buckwheat Soup

     Barley is a great soup ingredient, providing both flavor and texture.  Unfortunately, it also contains plenty of  gluten. Whole buckwheat groats are an excellent replacement. Buckwheat, despite its name, is not related to wheat and contains no gluten. You can get the groats either toasted or untoasted: the toasted ones have a stronger browned flavor; the untoasted ones are milder.  Both work well in soup.

     The purpose of peeling and dicing so many tomatoes is to avoid both 1) any wax containing corn, soy, or dairy additives on the surface of the tomatoes and 2) the citric acid (made from corn or soy) that is found in most cans of tomato sauce. The long cooking time allows both the tomatoes to cook down and the meat to get tenderized. If you are not allergic to corn or soy, you can certainly use a canned tomato product instead. "Vine-ripened tomatoes" have not been exposed to ethylene gas (made from corn).

     2 lb. chuck roast, cut into bite-sized pieces

     2 Tb. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     5 c. peeled, diced vine-ripened tomatoes (See Produce in the Glossary)

     8 c. beef stock (See Broth in the Glossary)

     2 bay leaves

     1 tsp. black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     1 large onion, chopped

     2 cups diced celery

     2 cups peeled, diced carrots

     leaves from 1 bunch of parsley, chopped (See Produce in the Glossary)

     2/3 c. buckwheat groats 

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     In a large pot, brown the beef in the oil.  Add the tomatoes and beef stock, bring to a boil, then simmer 2-3 hours, until the beef is tender. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer another 30 min. Salt to taste.