Lighter than you may expect, this beef barley soup features seared chunks of beef and lightly chewy barley, but spinach and lemon step in for the usual mushrooms. It’s especially herby from a bouquet garni, which only sounds fussy in nature: By tying the herbs into a satisfying little bundle, you can spend more time eating and less time fishing around for loose stems.

Beef Barley Soup with Lemon

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed

• 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3 celery stalks, diced

• 3 small or 2 large leeks, thinly sliced

• 1 fennel bulb, diced

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

• Large pinch of cayenne (optional)

• 1 quart beef or chicken stock

• 3 sage sprigs

• 2 rosemary sprigs

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

• 2 large turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 3/4 cup pearled barley

• 8 cups baby spinach or baby kale (8 ounces)

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

• Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon, plus fresh lemon juice to taste

• Thinly sliced jalapeños or other chiles, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Season beef with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let mixture stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add meat and cook in batches, turning occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Drizzle in more oil if the pan seems dry. Transfer the browned meat to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Add garlic, celery, leek and fennel to the pan; cook until soft, about 7 minutes, adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent burning. Push the vegetables to one side, and, if the pan looks dry, add a bit more oil. Add tomato paste and spices to the cleared spot and cook until tomato paste is darkened and caramelized, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir together vegetables and tomato paste.

Return meat to the pot. Pour in stock and 8 cups water. Using kitchen string, tie sage, rosemary and bay leaves into a bundle and drop into pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, partly covered, for 1 hour.

Stir in the carrots, parsnips, turnips, barley, 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer until barley is cooked through and meat is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Pull herb bunch from pot and discard.

Stir spinach and parsley into pot until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes (kale may take a few minutes longer), then stir in lemon zest and juice. If soup is too thick, thin it with a little water. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve with chiles, if you like.

Total time: 3 1/2 hours, serves 8.

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