Luxurious Beef Barley Soup

• Meat

  • 1/2 lb Beef, steak or lean

• Produce

  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Carrots
  • 1/2 Onion, medium
  • 1 Shallot

• Canned Goods

  • 1 26 oz box Beef stock, good-quality

• Condiments

  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• Pasta & Grains

  • 1/2 cup Barley

• Baking & Spices

  • 2 tsp Flour
  • 1 Salt and fresh cracked pepper

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 1/4 cup Sherry, dry

• Other

  • 2 Or 3 inner stalks of celery, sliced, leaves and all
  • 1 More inner stalk of celery, sliced

Found on theviewfromgreatisland.com

Directions

• Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then toss with the flour.
• Brown the beef on all sides over medium high heat and then set aside on a plate.
• Add the shallot, onion and celery to the pan and saute for a minute. Add a touch more oil if the pan is dry. Add in the barley and toast the barley for another minute, stirring constantly.
• Add in the Sherry and let it sizzle down, then add the beef stock and bay leaves. Bring up to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and let simmer until the barley is tender, about 35-40 minutes.
• Add the meat and any juices back into the pot, along with the carrots and last bit of celery. Add the Worcestershire sauce, and more salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer until the carrots soften but don’t get mushy. Remove the bay leaves, and taste to adjust the seasonings.
• If you refrigerate the soup before serving it will thicken a bit, you can thin it down with extra water as you reheat.