Ingredients
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound London broil, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (Use any lean steak like meat)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic (from 4 cloves)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup dry red wine
4 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
3/4 cup hulled or pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Garnish: grated fresh horseradish _Dad loves this. I find a small piece of horseradish root, and put it on the table with a rasp.
Preparation
Directions 1 Heat 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil in a medium Dutch oven or a large pot over medium-high heat. Season beef with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. 2 Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and cook onion, carrot, and mushrooms until golden, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. 3 Add garlic and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and add wine. Return to heat, and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits from bottom using a wooden spoon. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. 4 Return beef to pot, and add stock and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. 5 Add barley, and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. ( I find that Red Mill or other fine barleys take at least an hour to be tender. I put them in at the beginning of the simmer time.) Uncover, and cook until beef and barley are tender, 20 to 25 minutes more. Stir in parsley. Divide soup among 6 bowls, and garnish with horseradish.
