Beef Barley Soup; gaining respect
We have electricity again, as of last night.
I have a new, profound respect for people who have suffered at the whim of nature.
We were without electricity for almost 3 days.
That shouldn't be a big deal.
Before it happened to me, I didn't think it was a big deal.
You know: Light some candles and get over it!
But yesterday, as we were leaving our house, where we work, and heading back to the rental house, where we live, the thought of spending another 14 hours in the dark was very, very depressing.
It might have been different if we had been in our own house rather than a cold, primitive rental….
It might have been different in the summer, with only 6 hours of darkness to face.
We were lucky, we didn't loose anything, bodies and property are all intact.
I was a little surprised at myself, actually…. I thought I was made of tougher stuff.
I don't flinch at the daily invasion of the flies…
.
This was the kitchen window at Vlad's House on Friday morning.
The flies are on the inside…..
We don't know where the flies come from, but every day they appear…
Here, on the kitchen window, and in our bedroom; break dancing across the floor and table tops.
There were actually a lot more flies, but it's damn hard getting them to sit still for a photograph.
Also, please notice the mud.
That was before the storms of Saturday…
We have very little in the way of physical progress to show you this week. Most of what mon mari has been doing is the plumbing, in the cellar.
In order to have photos I would actually have to go into the cellar.
I am taking his word, and you will have to take mine: The new hot water heater is hooked up and there are lovely pipes going all over the place down there. As soon as he finds the leak we'll have water!
I can show you the progress in the kitchen, though:
Sedi, busy, pointy-nose little bitch that she is, is heading in to inspect the electrical work being done.
Just imagine: Someday there will be outlets and lights over and under cabinets there!
And then imagine a fragrant pot of beef stock simmering on the back burner…..
Beef Barley Soup
The Stock:
2 – 3 pounds beef short ribs, chuck roast (with bone) or soup meat
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into large chunks
2 stalks (ribs) celery – or the tops from a bunch of celery, cut into large chunks
1 bouquet Garni
3 bay leaves
1 tbs olive oil
Heat oil in large pot. Brown the beef very well on all sides over medium high heat, about 20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and enough water to just cover the meat, or 10 cups, whichever is more. Cover and simmer over low heat for several hours. Remove meat and chill until needed. Strain soup and chill at least 2 hours – this allows the fat to congeal on the surface for easy removal. Once fat is removed, stock is ready for soup.
The Soup:
the beef left from making stock, taken off the bone, trimmed and cut into small pieces
1 large or 2 smaller onions
3 ribs celery
4 carrots
8oz (250gr) flat or regular green beans
15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes
6 – 10 cups beef stock or more, depending on how thick you like soup
1/2 cup pearl barley or 3/4 cup quick cooking barley this is a tough one – the size varies. Mine was quite small and cooked in 10 minutes- so I started with 1/2 cup and added another 1/4 cup. It didn't expand nearly as much as traditional pearl barley – which I can't get… In the US I used 1/2 cup pearl…
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp marjoram
1 bay (laurel) leaf
1 tbs oil
Heat stock in soup pot.
Chop onion. Slice carrots into 1/4" (.6cm) rounds – cutting in half if too big. Slice celery the same size as the carrots. Cut beans into 1/2" (1.25cm) lengths if using fresh. If using frozen beans, rinse under hot water and cut if needed. Chop tomatoes reserving all juices.
Add all ingredients, including beef, to stock as they are prepared. Add barley and herbs and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 – 40 minutes, until vegetables are tender and barley is done. Serve.
I have to add, that after the water heater at the rental had a chance to do its job, I had the loveliest shower I've had in recent memory…. It feels soooo good to be clean!
It would have also been the longest shower in recent memory… but mon mari was waiting his turn.
No, there is not enough room to shower together in a shower stall that's 27" square (70cm)
Addendum: Mon mari just locked himself in the bathroom again…. I'd better go let him out…
We have leaky pipes too. One has burst somewhere above our kitchen – the joys of plumbing. Glad you got over your spot without electricity, beef barley soup would definitely help.
Amanda, of all the things mon mari does…. He hates plumbing the most
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So you also suffered from the “hurricane”? Aaaaaahhhh here it’s been horrible!!!! Uprooted trees, houses destroyed by the falling trees, my brother and sister still don’t have electricity! Now, they don’t have water either… Uffff. Thank God they were not hurt.
Here it’s been a wild wind, no rain, just wind of 100 to 140 km/h. Nobody had seen this before!!!
I’m glad you are ok and with your lights on girl! That’s the kind of soup we all need 😀
The flies may be cluster flies – they squeeze into cracks and come out in early spring and fall, just in time to feed migrating birds. They are clean flies that don’t spend any time on dung heaps, etc., if that’s any consolation…
I do appreciate that beef barley soup is perfect for “renovation weather” you have experienced.
The kitchen photo gives one some hope for running water where it’s intended and clean and level surfaces.
It’s going to be so good when that point comes when there is light and hearth welcoming.
Hugs
I think the flies are a harbinger of Spring. Good weather to come.
How terrible to be without power for that long. We had that 3 day outage a couple of years ago but it was summer so not so bad. Quebec had it in the winter ice storms a few years ago and it was quite an ordeal for them. My friend’s son had all these salt water fish tanks… freeze.
Kitchen is coming along.. and soup heals all assaults from the weather. I love beef and barley, yum!
Hi, I just want to let you know that I have given you an award for a ‘lovely blog’. Thanks for the cooking inspiration!
http://wallstory.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/thank-you-so-much/
We have ants living in the hollow between the two rows of bricks. My husband blogged their way out and every “spring” they visit my kitchen ….
I couldn’t live without power …
Katie…It is most definitely soup weather here in West Michigan. Bitterly cold, with more snow in the forecast. All is well with the world tho, when there is a pot of soup on the stove, and a loaf of that wonderful New York Times No Knead bread in the oven!
I just finished packing up 10 quarts of homemade chicken stock, now safely tucked in the freezer for the soups to come!
Oh my, what a project! But I’ll bet it will be absolutely gorgeous when it’s done. How long do you expect before you can actually move in?
Amanda, Just wanted to know that I follow you each day and think of you as “plucky”, not a word used much these days but aplicable to you. The day will come when all will fall into place.
Please apologize to votre marie for me. I couldn’t help laughing (out loud) at his misfortune. Do I sense that the door handle will be installed soon?
So glad to hear your power is back. And I know what you mean about dealing with a power failure. How hard can it be?? But I find that I’m STILL reeling from our recent power failure that was only one day (well, almost a day – we were short by about half an hour). And we had hot water the whole time….
Those flies would drive me mad! I guess you can’t train the dogs to get rid of them first thing in the morning before you get up….
So glad you have power again! Isn’t it scary how helpless we get when the power is off. I can imagine your wonderful new kitchen there already!
I think you have such a clever husband doing that all by himself!!
Three days without power is not nice. But if there’s a next time, you’ll be settled in your house, with your woodburner, and that will make life better. It’s a long time since we were last badly affected by a hurricane (I’m crossing my fingers as I type) (8 days off, two days on and then another five days off), and my principle memory of that time is the heroism of the men from the electricity companies who had been working round the clock to get everyone back on. We were their last job, and we celebrated with baked beans and sausages heated on a camping stove. One of the best parties ever, as we were all so happy.
Glad the house is coming along, even if it feels slow
Joanna
Hi Katie! Long time no see! Your blog is still as nice as ever 🙂
Good luck on the house thing. And yes. One can never have too much nutella 😉
I may be a little behind the ball here but I can’t vote for you and I can’t find the results. is it over? did you win?
Reading your daily installments is like reading a good thriller novel. A real page-turner. I love it. Poor, poor votre mari. Learning curve a little long, is it? :):):)
Your stew looks so good I’m going to make some this weekend.
Oh Katie Think of the flies as an omen that the weather is getting warmer perhaps!!!
Of course we are sweltering over here. So whilst you have been having the coldest winter we are having the best summer.
Do hope your alterations will be finished soon. Mind you I guess you do too.!!!
Hooray for having power again! It truly makes you appreciate flicking a switch and having a light come on when that doesn’t happen for 3 days. Your soup looks like the perfect way to warm up. So glad that there’s at least signs of progress. Can’t wait to see it all done.
so glad that you weathered the storm too. it was pretty awful! we got three leaks from flying roof tiles. our neighbors have flies like that too! and they said in the summer its scorpoins everywhere.i am NOt looking forward to flies and scorpoins. yikes. ahhhhh to have a shower and hot water again, that is happiness and hot soup for dinner. blessings, my friend
I foresee a bathroom doorknob in the near future! Glad to hear you’re allright Katie!
Nuria, during the last big wind, 10 years ago we were in Barcelona! Glad to hear you are okay – despite the problems…
Zoomie, no, these are regular old house flies, and they’ve been with us every day since October when we moved in. We had cluster flies one year in the Vendee.
Tanna, There IS hope… We actually opened the stove box today – just opened it, though
Fiona, Thank you!!! I’ll be over to see ;-))
Natashya, summer would have been easier… then we could have let the flies out.
Ulrike, ants are horrid… no power is difficult. But it’s back now!!!
Cindy, you guys have really had a rough winter this year!
Gorel, we have to be out of the rental in 2 weeks… Thank God!
Thanks, Judith, it will happen…. really….
Elizabeth, they do drive me mad… Everyday, when we get back after working on our house, I sweep up the flies… Every day! Mon mari is thinking about door handles….
Lien, I can’t imagine life 200 years ago
Joanna, that must have been awful – was it the bit storm 10 years ago? Yeah, the electrical workers really deserve a lot of credit…
Hi Maryann, I’m thinking a big jar of Nutella to celebrate our moving in
Shayne, the results are on the Well Fed Network… and, no, I didn’t win… Sigh….
Christine, I’m sure there’s an excellent reason he hasn’t put the handle on yet (wink, wink)
Gilli, I’ve been reading about your lovely summer…. Ours will come!
Lynn, I had to laugh at all the switches that had been turned on, even tho we knew nothing would happen. Talk about Pavlov’s dogs…
Riana, I pray we don’t have scorpions! That’s one of the reason we didn’t move further south. Our roof was sound, although our windows all blew open….
Baking Soda, I would have thought it would have been 2 weeks ago, but I try not to nag….
The soup looks wonderful…not so the flies. I guess one good thing about living in below zero temperatures…too cold for bugs!
I get flies in fall and spring, too. Every November and every March.
But it has been a good 5 years since we’ve had a serious power outage.
So I count my blessings.
Ew…we get a few flies like that too, but not that many. And many friends in our town have scorpion problems, but not us, knock on wood.
Ruth, there are some advantages to below 0 – the other is fewer weeds.
Mimi, every single day I sweep flies… Thankfully, we don’t seem to have the problem at OUR house.
Meredith, scorpions would have me moving back north!