Beany Beef And Barley Broth Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 2 large onions, diced
• 6 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2 baby beets, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup red wine
• 5 cups beef or rich chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 29-oz canned tomatoes with juice
• 5 fl. oz low-sodium V8 cocktail
• 1 2/3 cups roasted tomato sauce (or chunky tomato sauce)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 5 oz adzuki beans, soaked overnight
• 6 oz kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 10 oz cucumber, grated
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 35 fresh Romano beans (Italian flat beans), shelled (you can also use fresh or frozen baby lima beans)
• 7.5 oz sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 cup pot barley
• 19 oz can small red Mexican beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb fresh or frozen green beans, chopped

Instructions

1. Heat water in a large stockpot over medium-high.
2. Add ground beef and cook until browned, stirring to crumble.
3. Add onions, carrots and beets and cook, stirring, until the onions begin to turn golden - about 8-9 minutes. See Photo
4. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer, until fragrant.
5. Stir in wine and cook over high heat, stirring well, to dislodge the fond from the pot and reduce slightly.
6. Add broth, water, tomatoes, V8, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, soaked beans and grated cucumber.
7. Stir in bay leaves, thyme, oregano, basil, paprika and pepper, then bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 3 hours.
9. Stir in the freshly shelled Romano beans, sweet potato and barley and cook 1 hour further, until beans are tender. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems.
10. Add canned and frozen beans, uncover and cook at a brisk simmer for 30 minutes.