Beef And Barley Soup With Mushrooms For The Crock Pot! - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (14 g) package dried wild mushrooms, such as porcini
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 ounces stewing beef, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, peeled and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups beef broth
sour cream
fresh dill, finely chopped

Preparation

In a heatproof bowl, soak dried mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms finely and set aside.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add beef and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker.
Add onions, celery and carrots to pan and cook, stirring until softened. Add garlic, salt, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaf and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add barley and stir until coated. Stir in tomato paste, beef broth and reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a boil. Transfer to slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Discard bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and dill.