This is probably in the top ten. I know I’ve not been writing for a couple months now. For various reasons that I hope to cover in the next couple days. But for now, I just want to document this pretty darn good soup I managed to throw together. So that I have a starting point to fiddle with the next time I try.
- 2 lbs beef, cubed (I’m a lazy cheapskate, so I buy pre-cubed stew meat. But I’m given to understand that chuck roast or other well-marbled cut would be even better)
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 parsnip, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 6-8 cups beef and/or vegetable stock (I ran out of one and finished off with the other)
- 1 cup red wine
- 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 small can whole kernel corn
- 8 oz package sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- salt & pepper
Sprinkle the beef with kosher salt and allow to sit while chopping the vegetables.
In a large soup pot or dutch oven on medium-high heat, brown beef in olive oil, a few pieces at a time. Once pieces are browned, remove from pot and set aside. This should result in a decent amount of tasty brown gunk sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Reduce heat to medium. With all the meat set aside, add onions, carrots, parsnip, celery to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. This should take a few minutes. Then add garlic and cook for an additional minute, careful to not let garlic burn. Through this process, try to scrape up the delicious brown stuff and mix into vegetables.
Add back in the meat, and stir. Add wine, stock, herbs, tomatoes, corn, and salt and pepper to taste. If I had a half-cup to a cup of frozen peas, I’d probably throw those in as well. But not canned peas. Something about canned peas…I don’t know. Frozen corn would probably be better than canned, too, but I’m willing to put up with canned corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 hours until meat is tender.
Add sliced mushrooms and barley. Cook for another hour. Adjust seasonings to taste. Consider adding more salt, pepper, maybe a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Serve with…things? I’m having it with buttered crackers. Crusty bread or rolls might be better, but I don’t have any to hand.
Edit: So it turns out that doesn’t quite cook the barley right. Perhaps after adding the barley, return to a boil, then cook over medium-low? Then just watch it to make sure the barley cooks through and puffs up properly.