Best Beef Barley Soup

Description: This is one of my favourite recipes for leftover roast beef - its delicious on a cold winter night!!If you don't have leftover beef, substitute with 1 lb of extra-lean ground beef, to be cooked with the onions. "Demi glace" or "au jus" can be found with the prepackaged gravies & sauces in the supermarket - you just won't get the same great flavour if you omit it!!

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced thin
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup barley
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup cooked cubed roast beef (at least)
• 1 (1 ounce) package demi-glace or 1 (1 ounce) package au jus mix

Steps:

1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven.
2. Saute onions and garlic.
3. Add veggies and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Add broth, water and barley.
5. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
6. Add Worcestershire, spices and beef.
7. Stir in demi-glace.
8. Lower heat and simmer for 30- 45 minutes or until veggies and barley are tender.