For the Recorder
Published: 12/30/2020 9:46:55 AM
With the first major snowstorm hitting the region recently, it’s time for ultimate comfort food — and I know of none better than beef-barley soup.
I buy beef shank to make it, as it has a marrow bone in the center and lots of collagen in the connective tissues to give the broth heft. The following is a very flexible recipe — you can leave out the tomatoes, substitute your favorite herbs and seasonings, etc.
I make mine in a pressure cooker, but it can also be done in a heavy pot on the stovetop though it will take longer.
As with most soups, this is better made the day before you serve it. Serves 4-5.
Beef-Barley Soup1 ¾ pound beef shank
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium peeled onion, 2 ribs celery, 1 large carrot, all chunked
3 cloves peeled garlic
Handful of parsley
¼ teaspoons Herbes de Provençe
2 bay leaves
9 black peppercorns
6 cups water
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup cooked pearl barley, the coarser the better
2 cups cooked mixed frozen vegetables (or add your own)
Salt to taste, a beef bouillon cube or 1-2 teaspoon beef “Better than Bouillon”
Put oil in the bottom of the pressure cooker, heat over medium-high and sear the beef well on both sides. Add the vegetables, seasonings and 6 c. water. Cook at 10 lbs. pressure for 45-50 minutes.
Pour the contents into a colander set over a deep bowl. Let them cool, then discard the vegetables. Shred the meat, separating it from the gristle; be sure to add the marrow from the bone.
Put the broth and the meat back into the pot and add tomatoes, barley, and mixed vegetables. Check for seasoning. I usually add about a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to pick up the flavor.
That should help what ails you.
Nina M. Scott is a retired professor of Spanish from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she taught for 34 years. She and her husband, Jim, have lived in Amherst since 1968. Writing is one of her great joys.
December 30, 2020 at 09:53PM
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The Recorder - Beef-Barley Soup by Nina Scott - The Recorder
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