Soup recipe

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

125 mL (½ cup) pearl barley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

2 mL (½ tsp) dried parsley

1 L (4 cups) low-sodium beef bone broth (recipe in book) or ready-touse

beef broth

250 mL (1 cup) water (approximately)

Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat the pressure cooker on high/ sauté/brown. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Working in batches, add beef and cook, turning once, for five minutes per side or until browned on both sides, adding more oil as needed between batches. Transfer beef to a cutting board. Let rest for seven minutes. Then cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) chunks.

Meanwhile, add butter to the cooker and heat until melted. Add carrots, celery, and onion; cook, stirring for 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a plate and set aside. Cancel cooking.

Return beef and any accumulated juices to the cooker. Add barley, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, broth and water, stirring well. Close and lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Quickly release the pressure (see tip). Check to make sure the beef is fork-tender; if more cooking time is needed, reset to high pressure for four minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Add browned vegetables to the cooker. Close and lock the lid. Cook on high pressure for seven minutes. Quickly release the pressure.

If soup is too thick, add water, 60 mL (¼ cup) at a time, until soup is your desired consistency. Reheat on high/sauté/brown, if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Makes eight servings

Tip: When releasing the pressure after cooking barley, begin by slowly turning the pressure release knob. There may be some initial spewing of foam from the valve. Close the knob. Continue to open and close the knob in short spurts until no foam remains.