Beef and Barley Stoup - Yes Stoup!

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A heavy soup in May? Yes, I know it's unusual, but it seemed a logical way to use some of the beef stock that I made yesterday. Our weather has been unpredictable, and the Silver Fox has been assisting a friend  on a project that is physically exerting. I thought a hearty, robust soup would fill his hungry belly and replace the calories burned while digging out old shrubs and dead tree stumps. Those of you who have worked in old orchards,  know it's hard, heavy work, particularly in the rain. The dish I'm featuring tonight is heavier than a soup, but lighter than a stew, so I thought the word stoup, first coined by Rachael Ray, would best describe the entree I want to share with you. The recipe is straight forward and not difficult to follow. I've slightly altered a recipe I found on Food52 to accommodate the ingredients that I actually had on hand. Whether you call it a soup, stoup or stew, I think you'll find this to be a wonderfully satisfying meal. It's substantial enough for dinner and when served in slightly smaller portions, makes a wonderful stand alone lunch. I do hope you give it a try. Here is how this super stoup is made.


Beef and Barley Stoup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by plainhomecook

Ingredients:
1 large yellow onion
2 large carrots
3 ribs of celery
2 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 bay leaf
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into small pieces
8 cups beef stock or beef bone broth
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup pearl barley
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Dice onion.
2) Peel carrots, cut them in half lengthwise, then slice.
3) Cut celery in half lengthwise and slice
4) Mince the garlic.. Heat olive in a heavy stock pot. When it shimmers, add beef and cook until brown. Remove from pot.
6) Add additional oil if necessary. Heat over medium heat until it shimmers, then add onions, carrots, celery, and some salt. Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.
7) Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste.
8) Return beef to pot. Add beef stock, tomatoes and barley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 hours, or until beef is tender.
9) Add vinegar and adjust seasoning to taste. Yield: 8 servings.

                    

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