There is something fishy going on at Campbell’s soup company. They are reporting robust financials yet I cannot, for the life of me, find a steady supply of Campbell’s Beef consumme, the kind with gelatin added. It has a very particular, savory beefy flavor and is the base of the one thing my mother (a terrible cook) could make, rice pilaf.
My local grocery store cannot seem to keep that one soup in stock. It is like the panic run on toilet paper is over and suddenly replaced by the one and only soup I need to make this singular comfort dish. I am uncertain what I have done to deserve this but my BFF swears they have plenty up where she lives so next time I am up her way, I will stock up. Again, it is a mystery.
Meanwhile, I asked my local grocery store to order me a case (no word on when THAT order is coming in) and my Amazon order is mysteriously delayed as well.
It is a conspiracy for sure.
I think we are all gravitating to meals and dishes that bring us comfort and this one is pure comfort. I’ve tried it with various other beef-flavored liquids but nothing works the way Campbell’s beef consumme does. So, while the pandemic continues to rage, we who are frugal continue to cook from scratch and make the meals we find most comforting.
Mom’s Rice Pilaf
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups plain white rice
2 cans Campbell’s Beef consumme soup, no substitutions and enough water to make three cups of liquid
1/4 butter
1/4 diced walnuts, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley
Method:
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the rice, stirring until coated and very lightly toasted. Add the liquid and cook as you normally would rice. Garnish with chopped, toasted walnuts and a smattering of torn parsley. Can be served as a side dish or main dish.
thefrugallife 