Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms & Madeira

A hearty and satisfying winter meal, Beef, Barley and Shiitake Mushroom Soup is the perfect dish for the coldest of days. Excellent using leftover Roast Prime Rib of Beef or Braised Oxtail, this recipe is also very tasty using good quality sirloin or stewing beef. Browning the beef, then simmered together with sautéed onions, celery, carrots, fresh shiitake mushrooms, tomato paste, beef stock, pearl barley, fresh herbs and a lashing of Madeira and red wine, evolves into a richly aromatic and soul satisfying winter soup.

Beef, Barley & Shiitake Mushroom Soup with Madiera
Serves 6-8

4 tbsp canola oil
1 lb stewing beef or sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
2 onions, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch coins
2 tbsp tomato paste
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup each Madeira and day red wine
8 cups beef broth
1 cup pearl barley
3 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Sprinkle the beef with 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large soup pot over medium-high. Add the meat and and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes, the transfer to a bowl.

Reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining oil to the pot. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and cook 2-3 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook while stirring, until the vegetables are coated with the tomato paste and are beginning to brown, about to 2-3 minutes.

Add the wine and Madeira, and simmer for a minute or so, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Then add the barley, browned meat, broth, mushrooms, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for an hour, until the beef and barley are both tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into warmed bowls, garnish with a sprig of thyme and serve immediately with some hot crusty bread.