One of the most requested flavors of soup has to be beef and barley. It seems to be the ultimate in comfort food for toddlers, grandparents, and all ages in between. Make a batch in the middle of February when your bones feel cold and worn. In this recipe, you need to cook the meat separately to tenderize it and bring out the best in its flavor. A nice, crusty rye bread makes a great accompaniment.

Instructions:

Beef
3 pounds stew beef, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
12 cups water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
6 carrots, peeled and sliced or diced
Cooked stew beef (from recipe)
1/2 pound pearl barley
1 cup Burgundy wine
1 can (8 ounces) tomato paste
8 cups beef stock or broth
2 bay leaves
5 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

For the beef: Place the beef, vinegar, water, and salt in an 8 to 10-quart stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1^1/2 hours. Drain and reserve.

For the soup: Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the cooked beef, barley, wine, tomato paste, stock, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1^1/4 hours. Remove from heat and add the Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 serving.