Beef and Barley Soup

Fabian Dakota's haunting guilt over his little brother's disappearance from their parents barley farm twenty years earlier leads him home again to confront the painful memories of his past and to learn to accept his wife's terminal illness. He soon discovers that from the other side of reality, in a perfect world of barley and gold, comes the power to heal and the magic to believe. "Barley and Gold" is the story of one man's struggle to face his own guilt and fear, as well as to understand the inevitable truth of life.

Beef and Barley Soup

• 8 ounce(s) sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper, divided
• 4 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk(s) celery, sliced
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 2 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup(s) quick-cooking barley
• 4 cup(s) reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup(s) water
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 teaspoon(s) red-wine vinegar

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Directions

1. Sprinkle steak with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the steak and cook, stirring often, until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Add tomato paste and thyme and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are coated with the tomato paste and are beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add barley, broth, water, salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook until the barley is tender, about 15 minutes. Return the beef and any accumulated juice to the pot and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vinegar to taste.