Roasted Beef, Mushroom, and Barley

This recipe was to make a soup, but I ended up adding 1/2 cup extra of barley and ate it more like a pot roast. I have never cooked with barley before so I wasn't sure how it would taste or turn out, I really liked it!! It added a little different texture and nutty flavor than you wouldn't find in rice. Its very cheap too! Just make sure you do buy the quick cooking barley...I didn't and it took an extra 20 minutes or so. I also added about 1/2 cup red wine to add a little more flavor. The Hubs gave it a thumbs up!




Ingredients

• 1 lb sirloin steak, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 lb cremini or button mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps halved
• 2 shallots, coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 Cups low sodium chicken broth or water
• 1/2 Cup quick cooking barley
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, toss together steak, mushrooms, shallots, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast until beef and mushrooms are browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a medium pot and add broth and barley. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high, then reduce heat and simmer until barley is soft, about 12 minutes. To serve, season to taste with salt and pepper and top with parsley, if desired.

** Recipe and picture by Martha Stewart