Hello There! Welcome to my blog, this is my first post and I am so excited to share with you all! Starting a cooking blog is something that I have had on my mind for years and now I am finally doing it. For my first post I thought there is nothing more inviting than beef and barley soup. I love this soup, it is warm, comforting and full of flavor!
Here are the ingredients:
Olive Oil
1 pound of beef chuck, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, or two small, diced
1 dozen mushrooms (crimini, or white button), sliced
5 gloves of garlic, minced
4 stalks of celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 branches of thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine
2 32oz boxes of unsalted or low sodium beef stock
2 cups of water
2 cups of barley, rinsed
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Here are the ingredients:
Olive Oil
1 pound of beef chuck, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, or two small, diced
1 dozen mushrooms (crimini, or white button), sliced
5 gloves of garlic, minced
4 stalks of celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 branches of thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine
2 32oz boxes of unsalted or low sodium beef stock
2 cups of water
2 cups of barley, rinsed
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
First cut up the beef into bite size pieces. And season it with salt and pepper, about a teaspoon of each.
Put enough oil into the pot to cover the bottom, and turn the heat on high. Once the oil is hot put in half of the beef. Make sure the beef is in one layer, this will help it brown.
Allow the beef to brown nicely on the first side, for a few minutes. And then give it a stir, and leave it to brown some more. While the beef is browning dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Slice off the top of the onion, keeping the root side intact. This will keep the onion together and make dicing easier. Place cut side down and cut through the middle of the root. Peel the skin off the onion and place cut side down. Make a few horizontal cuts, not cutting through the root. Then a few cuts vertically, perpendicular to the root. To dice it, make cuts parallel to the root. Place in a bowl.
To mince the garlic take the cloves and give them a good whack by placing the clove under your knife and hitting your knife with the palm of your hand. Take the peel off the garlic and chop it up until it is a small mince. Place in a bowl with the onions.
Take the browned beef out of the pot with a slotted spoon and place onto a plate. Put the rest of the uncooked beef into the pot and repeat the process. While the second batch of beef is browning you can get the mushrooms, carrots and celery ready.
Take the mushrooms and wipe them with a damp paper towel. You don't want to wash mushrooms because they will absorb the water. Cut the mushrooms in half and then slice them.
Take the carrots (I don't peel mine) and just wash them really well. Cut off the top and bottom to discard. Cut the carrot in half where it starts to get fat. Take the fat side and cut it into quarters longways, so you have long carrot sticks. Take the skinny side and cut in half longways. Slice the sticks to create pieces.
For the celery wash the stalks and make long slices along the celery, 4 on the fat side and 3 on the skinnier side. Cut the short-way to create pieces.
Take the second batch of beef out of the pot and put on the plate. Lower the heat to about medium and add more oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
Put mushrooms into the pot and stir. The mushrooms will give off a lot of their liquid, so continue cooking until this liquid evaporates.
Add carrots and celery. Cooking for a few more minutes and stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the tomato paste and stir around. Cook for a few minutes.
Add wine, and stir scraping the bottom of the pot to pull up any brown bits. Cook until it reduces.
Place the meat back into the pot and add in the beef stock.
Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Rinse the barley well, and add it to the soup along with the water. I used hulled barley (on top of my hand) - this is the whole grain. Or you can use pearled barley (in my palm) which is more common, if you use pearled barley you will not need to add water and it will cook faster.
Allow to simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes until the beef is tender and the barley has cooked.
Chop up some fresh parsley and add to the soup. Take out the thyme branches, the leaves will have fallen off while cooking. Taste for salt and pepper and add more if needed. If the soup is too thick you can add water.
Serve and enjoy!
When it comes to cooking I think there is a lot of room for variations and changing things up - so feel free to play around with recipes to fit your taste. I hope that you enjoy, and if there is a certain recipe or something you would like to learn how to cook let me know!
Much Love,
B
Much Love,
B
Variations:
This soup can be made vegetarian by not using beef (obviously), and substituting in vegetable stock. You will only need a box and a half of stock. Also the barley can be added at the same time as the stock, no need to cook for the first 30 minutes, the meat needs the extra time to get tender.
Don't like beef? Make the soup with chicken instead and use chicken or vegetable stock!
Adding leeks would be good as well. Just add them in the pot at the same time as the onions.
Don't like beef? Make the soup with chicken instead and use chicken or vegetable stock!
Adding leeks would be good as well. Just add them in the pot at the same time as the onions.
Full directions:
Ingredients:
Olive Oil
1 pound of beef chuck, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, or two small, diced
1 dozen mushrooms (crimini, or white button), sliced
5 gloves of garlic, minced
4 stalks of celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 branches of thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine
2 32oz boxes of unsalted or low sodium beef stock
2 cups of water
2 cups of barley, rinsed
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Put enough oil into the pot to cover the bottom, and turn the heat on high. Once the oil is hot put in half of the beef, making sure it is in one layer.
Allow the beef to brown nicely on the first side, for a few minutes. And then give it a stir, and leave it to brown for a few more minutes. Once it is brown take it out of the pot with a slotted spoon and place onto a plate. Repeat the process with the second batch of beef.
After you take the beef out of the pot lower the heat and add some more oil if needed. Put in the onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the mushrooms and cook until all of their liquid has cooked off. Put in the carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, allow to cook until the vegetables brighten in color.
Add tomato paste stir around and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the wine, scrape the bottom of the pot to pull up any brown bits and cook until it reduces.
Place the meat and any of its juices back into the pot, add the beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add the rinsed barley and water if needed. Allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beef is tender and barley has cooked. Taste for final seasoning, add parsley and remove thyme stems.
Serve and enjoy!
Olive Oil
1 pound of beef chuck, cut into small pieces
1 large onion, or two small, diced
1 dozen mushrooms (crimini, or white button), sliced
5 gloves of garlic, minced
4 stalks of celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 branches of thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup of red wine
2 32oz boxes of unsalted or low sodium beef stock
2 cups of water
2 cups of barley, rinsed
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Put enough oil into the pot to cover the bottom, and turn the heat on high. Once the oil is hot put in half of the beef, making sure it is in one layer.
Allow the beef to brown nicely on the first side, for a few minutes. And then give it a stir, and leave it to brown for a few more minutes. Once it is brown take it out of the pot with a slotted spoon and place onto a plate. Repeat the process with the second batch of beef.
After you take the beef out of the pot lower the heat and add some more oil if needed. Put in the onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the mushrooms and cook until all of their liquid has cooked off. Put in the carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, allow to cook until the vegetables brighten in color.
Add tomato paste stir around and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the wine, scrape the bottom of the pot to pull up any brown bits and cook until it reduces.
Place the meat and any of its juices back into the pot, add the beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add the rinsed barley and water if needed. Allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes until the beef is tender and barley has cooked. Taste for final seasoning, add parsley and remove thyme stems.
Serve and enjoy!