Mushroom Beef Barley Soup – Oracibo

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. EVOO
• ¾ lean ground beef
• 2 ½ cups sliced brown mushrooms
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups beef stock (see below) or low salt beef broth
• 5 cups water
• 19 oz. plum tomatoes, chopped
• 3 potatoes, diced (optional)
• ¾ – 1 cup pearl barley or farro (depends on how thick you like your soup)
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram, or 1 ½ tsp. fresh
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp. each salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 to ½ cup chopped fresh parsley