A favorite of mine this time of year is a hearty beef, mushroom and barley soup.
Some might call it a “beef stew” – and they’d be right. But it’s got a lot of liquid – assuming you use all of the liquids called for – yet has the great flavor of a beef stew. We made this for a second time today – using an amalgamation of one of Mark Bittman’s recipes along with a slow cooker recipe from Cooks Illustrated.
Ingredients
- 1 oz dried Porcini mushrooms
- 1.5 – 2 lbs beef chuck roast – cut into 1 inch cubes
- 8 oz fresh Cremini mushrooms
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 8 oz mini carrots
- 3 yellow onions – chopped
- 4 oz tomato paste
- 8 oz mini carrots
- 2 oz Penzey’s shallots
- 2 oz Penzey’s garlic
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups chicken broth
Directions
- Soak the dried Porcini mushrooms in a cup of hot water.
- In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and add the beef – brown for 10-15 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon. Discard most of the fat remaining.
- In a separate pan, brown the mushrooms – first dry and later adding a bit of olive oil.
- In the Dutch oven, add the onions, salt and pepper. Add in the tomato paste, carrots, shallots, and garlic. Add in the mushrooms. Add in the porcini mushrooms – and the liquid while being careful to avoid any grit. Saute for 10 mins. Add the red wine. After 10 mins, add the tomatoes, beef broth and chicken broth.
- Bring mixture to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low – cover the Dutch oven and continue cooking for 1.5-2 hours. Taste the beef for tenderness to determine when ready to serve.Serve in large soup bowls – perhaps with crusty bread! Enjoy!
Scott's Kitchen 