Hearty Beef, Barley and Vegetable Stoup
Source of Recipe
From "Once Upon A Chef" by Jennifer Segal
Recipe Introduction
"I believe it was Rachael Ray who coined the word, 'stoup,' and this rich broth teeming with chewy barley and vegetables is a perfect example of what stoup is: thicker than soup but thinner than stew. On a winter day, it will warm your bones from the inside out. Moreover, it makes a ton and freezes well, so you can check off two meals at once. This soup has saved me on many a snowy day, when I've been stuck in the house with no food, no plow, and starving snow-drenched kids to feed. Just a quick defrost�then feed 'em, dress 'em, and they're out the door again."
List of Ingredients
◦ 1 � pounds well-marbled beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
◦ � teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ 1 � teaspoons salt
◦ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
◦ 1 � cups chopped yellow onions
◦ 1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced
◦ 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
◦ 1 � tablespoons tomato paste
◦ � cup red wine (any dry red will work, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.)
◦ 8 cups low-sodium beef broth
◦ 1 � cups water
◦ 2 bay leaves
◦ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped (or � teaspoon dried thyme)
◦ 1 � teaspoons sugar
◦ � cup pearl barley
◦ 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into �-inch rounds
◦ � cup chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Recipe
Season the beef with the pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
In a large (6-quart) Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef and sear, without turning, until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Transfer the partially browned beef to a plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the remaining beef. Sear in the same manner, and then transfer to the plate.
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Do not brown; lower the heat if necessary. (If the brown bits don't release from the bottom of the pan, help them along by adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water.)
Stir in the tomato paste. Add the partially browned beef (along with any juices), wine, broth, water, bay leaves, thyme, sugar, and remaining � teaspoon of salt to the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the barley and carrots and simmer, covered, until the carrots and barley are cooked and the beef is tender, about 1 hour more. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. (I usually add a bit more salt, pepper, and sugar, but it depends on the beef broth you use.) If you like a thicker soup, simmer, uncovered, until the desired consistency is reached. For a thinner soup, add a little more water. (Note: The soup might seem too "brothy" at first; but be careful not to reduce it too much because the barley quickly soaks up the broth.) Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.
Serves 6
� Make Ahead:
This soup keeps nicely in the fridge for up to 3 days, and can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, as it chills, the barley will absorb most of the broth. When you reheat it, add some water to reconstitute it�just keep in mind that you'll need to re-season it with salt and pepper as well.
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