Ironically, I had to make this without the barley. The pot I used was too small, and I couldn't fit it in, so I boiled up some diced potatoes in a separate pot and put them in the bottom of the bowls before ladling over the hot soup, and it was fantastic. Is there anything exceptional about it? No, probably not. The ingredients are what you'd find in most beef and vegetable soups. But it really hits that comfort spot. I love the texture of the barley, so I'll definitely plan better next time, but the nice thing about a basic recipe is that you can take it in different directions and it will still work.
