Beef, Barley, And Bean Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 1 1/2-2 cups dried pink beans or 1 1/2-2 cups some of the heirloom dried beans, rinsed and soaked overnight, then rinsed again
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs beef stew meat or 2 lbs short rib of beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
4 carrots, sliced thinly
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons salt
3/4 cup pearl barley
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon parsley flakes (or 3 T chopped fresh parsley)
1 teaspoon dill weed or 2 sprigs fresh dill
black pepper, to taste
tomato paste

Preparation

Heat oil in large soup pot, saute onion and beef until brown, add vegetables and continue to saute for 2 minutes, add remaining spices and barley. Stir and saute another 2 minutes.
Add remaining vegetables (optional) and tomato paste (optional) and enough water to bring volume to about 6 quarts. Bring to a slow simmer and simmer for 12 hours. Remove fat.
This can be eaten after 4 or 5 hours, but it improves with longer cooking.