From the menu of . . . Frank’s Family Restaurant, 1188 Collinsworth Road, Palmetto. 770-463-5678, www.franksfr.com
Q: I love the Beef Romano soup from Frank's Family Restaurant in Palmetto. Do you think they would share this recipe? Thank you. -- Jewell Meltzer, Newnan
A: Diana Fonseca, general manager of Frank's, worked with us to come up with a recipe that would resemble the one served on Saturdays at the restaurant. There are two major differences between this version and the one they make. First, their soup is flavored with "Frank's seasoning," which they do not sell. Fonseca suggested that Italian seasoning could be substituted. Second, they make their soup with leftover prime rib, which is not something most home cooks have in the refrigerator. We suggest you try one of the precooked beef roasts now available in the meat case at your grocery store.
This Beef Romano soup is so popular, the restaurant makes a 20-gallon batch in the morning and another in the afternoon. Our version will make about 1 gallon. If you’d like to freeze some of it, divide the soup before you add the potatoes and pasta. These two ingredients do not freeze well. Then when you’re ready to serve the frozen batch, thaw it, add the potatoes and proceed with the recipe from that point.
Is there a restaurant recipe you'd like to make at home? Tell us and we'll try to get it. We'll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can't answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to svanatten@ajc.com and put "From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.
Frank's Family Restaurant Beef Romano Soup
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Makes: 16 cups
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 (17-ounce) package prepared beef roast, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 pound Roma tomatoes, peeled, chopped and crushed
3 carrots, sliced in 1/2-inch rounds
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
4 cups beef stock
4 cups water
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
8 ounces elbow macaroni
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup grated Romano
In a large soup pot, heat oil and butter until butter is melted. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef, tomatoes, carrots, celery, beef stock and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer under carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove any froth that forms on the soup. After soup has simmered, stir in potatoes and Italian seasoning. Cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add macaroni and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, stir in Parmesan and Romano.
Per 1-cup serving: 181 calories (percent of calories from fat, 41), 10 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 8 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 25 milligrams cholesterol, 117 milligrams sodium.
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