Chunky beef-barley soup, hearty, healthy and delicious. Large chunks of beef and vegetables, and thickened up with pearl barley. This is a one-pot meal, serve with crusty mulit-grain bread.
In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the beef chunks, working in batches. Remove each batch as it browns and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any oil.
Add the onions, garlic, celery, carrots and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the browned beef back to the pot and add the beef broth, wine and tomatoes.
In a small dish, mix the tomato paste with 1 cup of water, stir to combine it well and add it to the soup pot. Add the pearl barley, chopped herbs, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 2 hours.
When ready to serve, remove and discard the bay leaves and ladle the soup into serving bowls.