Recipe

On a chilly winter day, a hearty soup that can serve as a main course is just what you need. The chewiness of barley, the savory richness of beef, and the earthy aroma of mushrooms meld together through hours of slow simmering to create a dish that goes far beyond an ordinary soup. My Geedel Vegetable Chopper shows its great advantage when preparing a large quantity of mushrooms—making the process at least three times faster than chopping with a knife.

Ingredients:  

500g beef cubes (cut into 2 cm pieces)  

300g mushrooms (mixed varieties recommended)  

2 carrots  

2 celery stalks  

1 large onion  

3 garlic cloves  

1 cup pearl barley  

8 cups beef broth  

2 tablespoons tomato paste  

2 bay leaves  

1 teaspoon dried thyme  

Olive oil, salt, black pepper  

Fresh parsley (for garnish)  

Detailed Steps:  

1. Prepare the mushrooms:  

   Quickly wipe the mushroom surfaces with a damp cloth (do not rinse). Take out the Hand Vegetable Chopper and attach the dicing blade. Place the mushrooms in batches into the container and pulse 3–4 times per batch until they are uniformly quartered or coarsely diced. Manual pulsing helps preserve the texture of the mushrooms, avoiding over-processing.

2. Prepare other vegetables:  

   Peel and cut the carrots and celery into chunks. Using the same Vegetable Chopper, pulse the carrot chunks into small dice, then repeat with the celery. Dice the onion separately.

3. Sear the beef and sauté the vegetables:

   Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cubes in batches until browned on all sides, then set aside.  

   In the same pot, add all the diced vegetables (onion, carrots, celery) and sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture and then reabsorb it. Add crushed garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute.

4. Slow simmering:

   Return the seared beef to the pot. Add the barley, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 1–1.5 hours until both the beef and barley are tender.

5. Season and serve:  

   Remove the bay leaves and season generously with salt and black pepper—keep in mind that barley absorbs a lot of salt, so you may need more than expected.  

   Ladle into large bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. This soup tastes even better the next day, as the barley continues to absorb the broth and becomes richer.

Summary:  

This substantial soup, hearty enough to be a main course, is made efficient by the Geedel Manual Vegetable Chopper, which quickly processes large quantities of mushrooms and root vegetables. The manual operation ensures consistent cutting, allowing each ingredient to fully release its flavor during simmering. It is especially suitable for making in large batches as a healthy meal prep for the week.