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Mushroom Barley Soup w/Flanken (M, TNT)
Source: Self
Serves: 10-12

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt (or to taste/or none at all)
4 to 5 lbs. beef flanken/or short ribs/or combination
1 to 2 lbs. marrow bones
1 small bay leaf
5-6 sprigs parsley
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cubed
2 cups sliced celery
1/2 cup dried lima beans
1/2 cup dried red lentils (optional)
3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed
About 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper (to taste)
1 cup pearl barley
1 cup Polish dried mushrooms, broken up; (or 1/4 cup Telma mushroom bouillon granules)
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

In a large heavy kettle, heat oil until it is hot. Remember that kashered meat is already salted and brown in batches. Brown the marrow bones in the same way. When meat and bones are well-browned, put them all back in the kettle along with their juices. Cover with water to 1/2" above meat and bring to hard boil. Skim the brown scum as it rises.

Tie bay leaf and parsley sprigs together with white thread and add to pot. Add onions, 1 cubed carrot, 1 cup celery, dried lima beans, dried lentils, if desired, garlic (I use a head of garlic--unpeeled, but top cut off, then mashed) and black pepper.

Cover kettle and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 2 hours, until meat is tender. Remove and discard parsley-bay leaf bundle.

Remove meat from pot to a plate. Add barley and dried mushrooms to pot, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, cut meat from bones into bite-size pieces; return meat to pot along with remaining carrots and celery. Return soup to a simmer, cover kettle and cook approximately 30 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and cook soup a further 15 minutes, or until the barley is very tender.

Alternatively, serve the meat as a separate course, accompanied by red/or white horseradish, crusty bread (challah/garlic), dill pickles, and crisp raw vegetables such as radishes, scallions & celery sticks.

Posted by Larry Kluger

Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A