Recipe - Beef Barley Soup With Wild Mushrooms And Parsnips

3 tablespoon Olive oil
1 One half pound Assorted fresh wild
mushrooms; (such as crimini
and
; oyster), cut or sliced up
Three fourths pound Onions; chopped
2 Celery stalks; chopped
4 lg Garlic cloves; chopped
3 One half pound Centercut beef shank
slices; (about Three fourths to 1
inch
; thick)
8 cup Canned beef broth
7 cup Water
1 One fourth pound Red bell peppers; chopped
1 pound Parsnips; peeled, cut into
; 1/2inch pieces
One half pound Carrots; peeled, cut into
; 1/2inch pieces
1 Three fourths cup Pearl barley; (about 9
ounces)
1 One half cup Canned crushed tomatoes with
added puree
2 pack Dried porcini mushrooms;
(see note below),
; brushed clean of
; any grit, coarsely
; chopped (3/4ounce)
2 tablespoon Dried marjoram
1 tablespoon Dried thyme

Heat oil in heavy large pot over mediumhigh heat. Add mushrooms and
onions. Saute until mushrooms brown, about 18 minutes. Add celery and
garlic and stir 1 minute. Add beef shank slices and all remaining
ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to mediumlow. Cover and
simmer until meat is tender, about 1 One half hours. Remove from heat.

Using tongs, remove meat from pot. Cool slightly. Remove meat from
bones; discard bones and any tough connective tissue. Cut meat into
bitesize pieces and return to soup. Season soup to taste with salt
and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly at room
temperature. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
Rewarm over medium heat.)

Note: Porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty
foods stores and many supermarkets.

Makes 8