It’s COLD outside! With the frosty air outside and underperforming radiator in our apartment, I thought I would make a dish that would stick to our ribs (no pun intended). For those who are wondering, flanken is simply a special cut of short rib that Jewish cooks have historically preferred. Any kind of short rib will elevate this soup to the next level.
Winter is the best season to make soups or stews, they are thick, warm, and packed with nutrients and flavor that will get you through to Spring. This is one of my personal favorites, it’s a one-pot meal, and with a little flexibility, anyone can enjoy it! If you’re a vegetarian, omit the flanken and substitute vegetable stock for the beef, it will still be filling. For those observing kashrut, don’t worry, it’s works. So throw a batch together, sit back, and get ready to treat yourself to a wonderful meal!
Mushroom Barley Soup with Flanken
2 large pieces of flanken, or beef short ribs
6 cups beef broth
1 package of dried mushrooms, porcini or morel
2 containers of cremini (baby bella) mushrooms or substitute in button mushrooms, sliced or large dice
4 large carrots, sliced into circles
2 yellow onions, large dice
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup pearl barley
a few tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 bunch thyme & 1/2 bunch rosemary tied together with butcher’s string (optional)
Parsley and Dill to garnish (optional)
Salt
Pepper
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, pour 1 cup of boiling water over the dried mushrooms and let sit for 30 minutes
2. Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and drizzle in some olive oil
3. Season the flanken with salt and pepper and then sear in the pot until brown on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side
4. After short ribs are browned, remove them and put on a plate
5. Lower heat to medium and drain out some of the remaining fat from the pot. Add the cremini mushrooms, onions and carrots to the pot, season with a little salt and pepper, and saute until softened and slightly carmelized, around 10-15 minutes
6. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute or two…then add the pearl barley to the pot and lightly toast for another minute or so
7. Deglaze with the beef broth and add the flaken and any juices that accumulated back into the pot
8. Throw in the herb bundle if using
9. Drain the mushroom broth made from the dried mushrooms and water into a clean bowl using a paper towel or coffee filter to strain out any dirt that might have come with the mushrooms. Add the strained liquid to the pot. I toss the reconstituted mushrooms, but you can chop them up and add to the pot if you want to. I find them rubbery.
10. Bring soup to a boil and then cover, lowering heat to low or medium low
11. Keep on a low simmer for about an hour
12. After an hour, check on soup, discard the herb bundle, and remove the short ribs from the soup. Cool them for 10 minutes, then shred the ribs into pieces and add back into the pot. While the short ribs are cooling, keep the soup on medium low, which will slightly reduce the liquid.
13. Once the meat is added back, check for seasoning with salt and pepper and then – it’s ready to serve! You can garnish with fresh parsley and dill here if you wish.
Enjoy!
Tags: grains, Main Course, Meat, Soup
January 4, 2012 at 6:58 PM |
I do basically the same ingredients, but being a person who watches every calorie..there’s no braising done first. I put all of the ingredients (save fresh mushrooms and barley) in a huge pot and bring to a boil. When the meat stops producing foam – which I skim off – I add tons of sliced fresh mushrooms and a cup of barley. I also add some cloves studded into a HUGE spanish onion. I leave the carrots, parsnip and celery whole – to be cut up later. Some fresh parsley…whole black pepper at a couple of cloves of fresh garlic…and just let it simmer for 2-3 hours – until the meat is soft and tender. I’m not a fan of rosemary or thyme in this dish..to me – that’s a flavor clash..If it gets too thick..I add a little water. Salt goes in after the skimming. This is delish…and eliminates xtra fat. Best when cooled ahead of time and the fat from the meat can be easily removed – making this dish less of a heart stopper.