Beef mushroom barley soup

By Shellyhaber

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs beef chuck, in 2-inch chunks
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 cups cold water
• 1/2 oz dried wild mushrooms
• 1 cup hull-less barley or pearl barley, rinsed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 leek, white and green part only, halved lengthwise, rinsed and sliced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 parsnip, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup chopped black kale (about 1-inch pieces)
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from nationalpost.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Pat meat dry, season generously with salt and pepper. Brown meat.
Add water and bring to a boil. Skim off and discard any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently 1 hour.
Meanwhile soak dried wild mushrooms in 1 1/2 cups boiling water for about 30 minutes. Strain liquid through a sieve lined with paper towel and reserve. Rinse mushrooms well and chop.
Add wild and fresh mushrooms, barley, onions, leeks, carrots, parsnips and garlic to beef. Add mushroom soaking liquid, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Continue to cook, covered, until beef and barley are very tender 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer. Remove meat, discard any visible fat and cut meat into smaller pieces. Return meat to soup. Add kale and cook 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with parsley.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.