Beef, Barley, And Bean Soup

Total Time: 12 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 12 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/2-2 cups assorted dried navy beans or 1 1/2-2 cups dried black-eyed peas or 1 1/2-2 cups dried lima beans or 1 1/2-2 cups dried kidney beans or 1 1/2-2 cups dried pink beans or 1 1/2-2 cups some of the heirloom dried beans, rinsed and soaked overnight, then rinsed again
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lbs beef stew meat or 2 lbs short rib of beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
• 4 carrots, sliced thinly
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes (or 3 t chopped fresh parsley)
• 1 teaspoon dill weed or 2 sprigs fresh dill
• black pepper, to taste
• tomato paste

Recipe

• 1 heat oil in large soup pot, sauté onion and beef until brown, add vegetables and continue to sauté for 2 minutes, add remaining spices and barley. stir and sauté another 2 minutes.
• 2 add remaining vegetables (optional) and tomato paste (optional) and enough water to bring volume to about 6 quarts. bring to a slow simmer and simmer for 12 hours. remove fat.
• 3 this can be eaten after 4 or 5 hours, but it improves with longer cooking.