Beef and Barley Soup

Soup season has arrived.  While the gazillion or so chicken soup recipes I have are good...sometimes you need something a little heartier.  This looks like it will do the trick.  I am guessing it would be delicious if you swapped out the barley for noodles...it would probably also be beef and noodle soup then!  LOL

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1lb. London broil cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
8oz. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (I may use button mushrooms, they are my favorite!)
2 tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. tomato paste
3/4 C. dry red wine
4 C. chicken stock
3 C. water
3/4 C. hulled or pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1/4 C. coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
Garnish: grated fresh horseradish

Heat 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. oil in a medium Dutch oven or a large pot over medium high heat.  Season beef with salt andpepper and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.  Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. 

Reduce heat to medium.  Add remaining oil and cook onion, carrot and mushrooms until golden, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes.  Season with salt.

Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, and add wine.  Return to heat, and bring to a boil, scrapong up brown bits from bottom using a wooden spoon.  Cook until  reduced by half, about 5 minutes. 

Return beef to pot, and add stock and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. 

Add barley, and cook, covered for 20 minutes.  Uncover and cook until beef and barley are tender, 20 to 25 minutes more.  Stir in parsley.  Divide soup among 6 bowls and serve.