Dinner Tonight: Beef Barley Soup

3/18/2012

Few things are as satisfying as a good bowl of Beef Barley Soup. This would be an irrefutable scientific fact, if only science could figure out a way to test it. So let us say rather that it is an anecdotal fact. You can test the hypothesis yourself by making a big pot of the hearty soup — this version from school administrator Su Johnson should do nicely — gobbling every bite, and then trying to think of a food that is more satisfying. Our guess is you won’t be able to.

Beef Barley Soup

1 tablespoon oil

½ cup chopped onions

1½-2 pounds roast, cut in 1-inch cubes

6 cups beef stock

¾ cup barley

3 cups carrots

2 pounds fresh mushrooms

½ teaspoon rosemary

½ teaspoon thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon garlic

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Put the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat and saut

é the onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Pour in stock and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables and seasonings and simmer at least 30 minutes.Yield: 3 quarts

— Su Johnson

Got a fast and healthy recipe you want to share? Send it to food@theblade.com or Dinner Tonight, The Blade, 541 N. Superior St., Toledo, OH 43660.