Beef Barley Soup

Total time: 60 minutes
    This was one of my favorite soups as a child, though I ate the condensed, canned version, not home made.  This is ever so much better. The recipe calls for canned beef stock, but if you would like to make your own, (I did) that recipe is below.  There will be enough soup for 2 meals - cook once, eat twice.

 Ingredients:

• 16oz (480gr) lean beef, suitable for stewing or braising, or the beef left from making stock
• 1 large or 2 smaller onions
• 3 ribs celery
• 4 carrots
• 8oz (240gr) flat or regular green beans
• 15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes
• 6 - 10 cups beef stock  or more, depending on how thick you like soup, if using canned, use part water
• 1/2 cup pearl barley or 3/4 cup quick cooking barley this is a tough one - the size varies.   Mine was quite small and cooked in 10 minutes- so I started with 1/2 cup and added another 1/4 cup. It didn't expand nearly as much as traditional pearl barley - which I can't get... In the US I used 1/2 cup pearl...
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 bay (laurel) leaf
• 1 tbs oil

 Instructions:

• If you didn't make stock: 
• Cut beef into bite-size pieces.
• Heat oil in a large skillet. 
• Add beef and brown well. Remove and set aside.
• If you made stock:
• Take the meat off any bones, trim off any fat and cut into bite-size pieces.
• The soup: 
• Heat stock in soup pot.
• Chop onion.
• Slice carrots into 1/4" (.6cm) rounds - cutting in half if too big.
• Slice celery the same size as the carrots.
• Cut beans into 1/2" (1.25cm) lengths if using fresh.  If using frozen beans, rinse under hot water and cut if needed. 
• Chop tomatoes, reserving all juices.
• Add all ingredients, including beef and juices from tomatoes, to stock as they are prepared. 
• Add barley, herbs and bring to a boil. 
• Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender and barley is done.  Serve. 

Beef Stock

  Time: at least 2 hours, 4 - 6 is better, plus chilling time
     It's best to make this the day before using, to allow ample time for chilling so you can remove the fat. You can leave this simmering on the stove top for hours.  Make more, divide into 1 cup portions and freeze it.  Or reduce it, to concentrate the flavors, and freeze in ice cube trays, then put into freezer bags.

 Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 pounds beef short ribs, chuck roast (with bone) or soup meat
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 carrot, cut into large chunks
• 2 ribs celery - or the tops from a bunch of celery, cut into large chunks
• 1 bouquet Garni
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbs olive oil

 Instructions:

• Heat oil in large pot. 
• Brown the beef very well on all sides over medium high heat, about 20 minutes. 
• Add the remaining ingredients and enough water to just cover the meat, or 10 cups, whichever is more.
• Cover and simmer over low heat for several hours. 
• Remove meat and chill until needed. 
• Strain soup and chill at least 2 hours - this allows the fat to congeal on the surface for easy removal.
• Once fat is removed, stock can be boiled to reduce liquid and concentrate flavors.