Chef Bill's Beef-Barley Soup

The weather and the calendar finally agree that it's fall. The cooler weather has put me in the mind for soup. Good thing too, because BHG.com recently featured a recipe for beef barley soup that sounded yummy.

You do have to put aside plenty of time to make this soup. There are a lot of veggies to chop. Don't be afraid of the 12 cloves of garlic. I guarantee you won't taste it because the coriander is overwhelming. You really can't taste anything except the coriander which is too bad. There are a lot of wonderful flavors in this soup: the veggies, the wine, the thyme, the barley and the fresh parsley and basil.

Despite what the recipe says, you shouldn't eat this soup right away. After it cooks for the specified 20 to 25 minutes, it's still too watery. I was making this ahead of time and so put it in the fridge for about 8 hours. When I took it out again, the barley had absorbed nearly all of the liquid making for a thick, hearty soup. Just what I was looking for. Too bad the taste was spoiled by the overpowering coriander.

Verdict: What were they thinking???

Chef Bill's Beef-Barley Soup

(Source: BHG.com )

1 pound beef tenderloin roast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic (12 cloves)
6 cups beef stock or beef broth
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or dry red wine
1 tablepoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking barley
1/4 cup snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, brown half of the meat in hot oil over medium-high heat; remove meat from Dutch oven. Add remaining meat, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic to Dutch oven. Cook and stir until meat is brown and onion is tender. Return all meat to Dutch oven.

2. Stir in beef stock, tomato puree, wine, dried thyme, if using, coriander, black pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; stir in barley. Reduce heat. Cook, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Stir in parsley, basil, and fresh thyme, if using. Makes 8 servings (10 cups).

Recycle: wine and olive oil bottles, tomato puree can

Compost: carrot peels, celery leaves, onion and garlic skins, parsley stems