Baked Beef and Vegetable Soup

4 lb Short ribs of beef

1 ea Onion skin on studded with

-2 cloves 3 cl Garlic peeled and

-lightly crushed 4 ea Whole black peppercorns

4 c Beef broth

3 sm Leeks roots trimmed and 1

-inch of green left on cut -into 1/4 x 2 inch julienne -strips well washed 3 ea Carrots cut into 1/4 x 2

-inch julienne strips 3 ea Celery ribs cut into

-1/4 x 2 inch julienne -strips 8 ea White mushroom caps cut

-into thin slices 2 c Shaped pasta cooked until

-just tender Salt and fresh ground black -pepper to taste 2 tb Chopped dill

2 tb Parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beef, onion, garlic, peppercorns and broth in an oven-proof casserole. Add water to cover by 1 1/2 inches. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake in the oven about 2 hours, until beef is very tender. Remove meat and cool. Shred from bones, discarding any fat and the bones. COver. Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer into a gravy separator or bowl. Allow to cool. Pour or skim off fat and return defatted broth to the casserole. Add leeks, carrots and celery to casserole. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Add shredded beef to broth with mushrooms, pasta, salt and pepper. Bake, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and stir in dill and parsley. Serve immediately in deep soup bowls.