recipe: beef and barley stew

it's february in new york city and winter is still going strong. i've been concocting weekly soup recipes that make me feel good about staying indoors and making a delicious meal instead romping around town for dinner - fighting the bitter wind and slushy mess. summer seems like an eternity away and while i wait patiently for those outdoor patio happy hours and relaxing days in the park, the next best thing is to have a hearty stew, a glass of red wine and some coltrane spinning on the record player at home. stay warm folks!

beef and barley stew
(serves 6)

ingredients:
2 pcs bone-in beef ribs (approx. 1 1/2 lbs)
8 c beef stock or water
2 leeks, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 c barley
1/2 tsp thyme
2 yukon gold potatoes
1/2 c frozen green peas
salt and pepper to taste

instructions:
in a large dutch oven or pot, put the beef ribs in the bottom of the cooking vessel, pour in the beef stock or water and turn the heat on to high. while waiting for the liquid to heat up, cut the leeks length-wise and roughly chop both the green and white part. then chop up the onions and add both the leeks and onions to the pot. add the barley and thyme and wait until the mixture comes to a boil. turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. after 2 hours, cube the potatoes and add them to the stew along with the green peas. season with salt and pepper and simmer for an additional hour.

before serving, skim the fat off the top of the pot, as beef ribs tend to be quite fatty. take the beef ribs out of the stew, remove the bones and chop up the beef. then put the chopped beef back into the stew and give it a good stir before ladling into bowls. serve with some warm crusty bread.