BARLEY SOUP MIX RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the following, adding each to the same medium bowl as you complete it: Dice 1 medium yellow onion, peel and slice 3 medium carrots into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, and slice 3 medium celery stalks into 1/4-inch pieces. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves.
• Cut 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck into 1/2-inch pieces. Pat dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the beef in a single layer and cook until browned but not cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with browning the remaining beef, then transfer to the plate.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
• Add 1 tablespoon tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook until darkened in color, about 1 minute. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot and add 2 boxes low-sodium beef broth, 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices, 3/4 cup pearled barley, 1 dried bay leaf. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until the barley is tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves.
• Remove and discard the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the parsley, and serve.

Steps:

• BEAN-BARLEY SOUP MIX: In a bowl combine about 3 heaping tablespoons of each bean/legume. Stir then transfer to an airtight container. Measurement is estimated.
• PREPPING BEANS FOR THE SOUP: For this recipe I used the quick soak method for prepping the beans/legumes. To do this, in a large stock pot cover the dried bean mixture with triple their volume of cold water.
• Bring water to the boil, lower heat and cook the beans uncovered over moderate heat for 2 minutes.
• Remove beans from the heat and set aside to soak for 1 hour. After one hour of soaking, drain the beans and place them back in the pot.
• Overnight soak method: Place the beans in a pot and cover with water. The next morning, drain and rinse the beans and then continue with recipe in Step #6.
• SOUP PREPARATION: Pour 4 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth into the pot of beans.
• In a separate saute pan, cook onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, Italian seasoning and garlic in olive oil until soft.
• Combine this mixture along with the tomatoes in the pot of beans and cover with the remaining broth.
• Cover and simmer approximately 1 hour or to desired tenderness.
• Check the broth level periodically and add more broth if necessary so that the soup does not dry out. I left the soup thick but made sure to check that the soup was not drying out.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. I ended up adding 1/2 teaspoon of Annie's brand Worcestershire sauce to the soup.
• If desired, a small amount of fresh parsley garnished each serving, as a suggestion.