Beef and Pearl Barley Soup

As my Nana says, this soup will stick to your ribs and it falls in my category of good hearty comfort food.  I have also served it as a starter in winter for dinner parties and it always goes down well.  

Ingredients

500g blade bone steak

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large brown onion

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped

6 - 8 cups of good quality liquid beef stock

1 swede, diced

2 medium carrots

2/3 cup pearl barley

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of continental parsley

3/4 cup of green beans chopped into 1.5cm long pieces

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Cut beef into 2cm pieces.  Heat a deep saucepan on medium high until hot.  Add one table spoon of oil and half the beef (if using Saladmaster you can eliminate adding the oil).  Cook for approximately four minutes or until brown, remove from the pan and repeat with remaining beef.  

Reduce heat, add remaining oil and onion.  Cook onion for five minutes or until clear.  Add stock, celery, carrot, barley, swede, tomato, parsley, bay leaf and pepper*.  Return beef to the pan and bring it to the boil.  

Using a slotted spoon remove any scum from the surface.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beef is melt in your mouth, tender.

In the last ten minutes add chopped beans and continue to simmer until tender.

Season with pepper and salt. *Note: If you are using a purchased stock it is a good idea to hold off on seasoning until you have tasted it at the end.  I also try to use salt reduced stock - it gives me more control over the seasoning.  

Simple and delicious - Enjoy!

Big fan of this soup:  Shelby Stewart