With St. Patrick's Day coming up, I usually try to find a dish to honor the Irish. And, a quick search will turn up several traditional recipes here including Irish Stew, Soda Bread, Corned Beef and Cabbage (which really isn't from Ireland), Bangers and Mash, and so on. A sudden cold front blowing through today pushed me in the direction of soup, and I found this one. It's only true Irish connection is in the use of Guinness Stout, and the recipe author promoted it more as a nod to J.R.R. Tolkien and The Hobbit, where this dish is listed as part of the "Luncheon" meal of the day. But I figured it was close enough.
I encountered a couple of problems with preparing this dish:
First, the original posting supposedly made 4 servings, but when I finished cooking it there was actually enough for 6, so that's how I've sized it on the recipe card.
The other issue was with the barley. There are two main types of barley sold these days called pearl barley and quick barley. The difference in them is similar to different types of oats/oatmeal you might find in the cereal aisle of your grocery store. Pearl barley is like plain hulled oats; it's literally raw barley that has had its outer husk removed (a process called "pearling", hence the name). It takes a long time (about 45 minutes) and a lot of liquid to cook pearl barley, which makes it a great choice for long-simmering soups and stews. Quick barley could be compared to "quick oats" or "minute oats"; quick barley starts as pearl barley but is then steamed to partially cook it, then rolled flat and dried. This process means quick barley takes much less time (10 to 15 minutes) and less liquid to cook than pearl barley. These differences are significant in a long-simmering soup like this, as adding the barley in at the wrong time or with the wrong amount of liquid can end up making a mess. Another complication is most grocery stores only stock quick barley, while this recipe assumed pearl barley. I've made adjustments to help determine the right amount of liquids and cooking times for each type.
Adapted from Rhubarb and Lavender
A hearty soup with basic ingredients, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and featuring Guinness Stout for an Irish twist.
Adapted from Rhubarb and Lavender
Using butcher's twine, tie the sprigs of thyme and parsley and the bay leaf into a bundle (called a bouquet garni) and set aside.
In a large cookpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef and cook until browned. Remove the meat and set aside.
Add the onion to the pot and cook 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Add the Guinness to the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom. Add the bouquet garni and the beef broth as follows:
Add the cooked beef and any accumulated juices back into the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
At the end of 1 hour:
When the barley has finished cooking, remove the bouquet garni and discard. Add the chopped parsley and mix well. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed before serving.
Servings 6
Serving Size 2 cups (16 oz)
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.