Soup is the most nutritious course in the French classical menu. It is served before meals and there are a few health-conscious people who have it as an entire meal. When it is filled with vegetables and meat, then it can be served as a main course too. It is made by combining vegetables and meat in hot/boiling water, to form a broth. You can add different types of vegetables to make it thicker and nutritious. You can also add the calf's bones to enrich the flavor. Here are some delicious recipes that you can try at home. Beef Barley Soup Ingredients

• Stew, 1 lb.
• Barley, ½ cup
• Water, 8 cups
• Can of Tomatoes, 14 oz.
• Parsley, ¼ cup
• Beef Bouillon, 1 package
• Carrots, 1 cup
• Celery, (chopped fine) 1 cup
• Onions, (grated) 1 cup
• Garlic (optional)
• Salt and Pepper, as per taste

Directions Heat 2 tbsp. of oil and brown beef in it. Add 8 cups of water to the beef and bring it to boil. Then simmer it for about 1½ hours. Take out the beef and shred it. (If you are using a hamburger, then you don't need to brown or shred it). Dissolve bouillon in ½ cup of water. Add bouillon and vegetables to a pot. Then add beef, barley, parsley, and spices. Boil it slowly until the barley gets cooked and obtains a thick consistency. Beef and Pearl Barley Soup Ingredients

• Beef Stew Meat, 1 lb.
• Pearl Barley, ¼ cup
• Water, 4 cups
• Meaty Beef Bones, 1 lb.
• Beef Broth, 2 cans
• Frozen Okra, (sliced) 2 cups
• Diced Tomatoes in Juice, 1 can
• Large Onion, (chopped) 1
• Celery Stalks, (chopped) 3
• Frozen Peas, 1½ cup
• Garlic Powder, 2 tsp.
• Bay Leaves, 2
• Hot Pepper Sauce, 2 tsp.
• Vegetable Oil, 2 tbsp.

Directions In a large pot, heat oil over a medium-high flame. Add stew meat and bones, and fry it briefly for about 8 minutes, until the meat turns dark brown. Transfer the beef and bones to a plate. Add barley, onion, and celery to a pot. Fry it for about 15 minutes, until onion turns golden. Then add water, tomatoes with juice, broth, okra, garlic powder, corn, and bay leaves. Add beef and bones to the above mixture and bring it to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil slowly, in an uncovered pot for about 1 hour, until the meat becomes tender. Then add peas and 1½ tsp. of hot pepper sauce to the soup. Cover the pot and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Season it with pepper, salt, and some hot pepper sauce. Chunky Beef Barley Soup Ingredients

• Beef Stew Meat, (cut into ½ inch cubes) 1½ lb.
• Water, 2 qt.
• All-purpose Flour, 2 tbsp.
• Pearl Barley, ½ cup
• Vegetable Oil, ¼ cup
• Tomatoes, (coarsely chopped) 1 can
• Garlic Cloves, (minced) 2
• Onion, (coarsely chopped), 1 cup
• Frozen Vegetable Medley, 1 package
• Dried Basil, (crushed) 1 tsp.
• Salt, 1 tbsp.
• Pepper, ⅛ tsp.

Directions Cover the meat with all-purpose flour. Brown the meat, along with garlic in hot oil, over medium heat, in a pot. Then add tomatoes, water, barley, onion, basil, pepper, and salt. Allow it to boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer the mixture for about 1 hour, until meat and barley become tender. Then add frozen vegetables to the mixture. Bring it to boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to low. Boil it slowly for about 5 minutes, until vegetables become tender and the broth achieves a thick consistency. A unique combination of any red meat and barley can be used for preparing a sumptuous and healthy soup. Take help from the recipes mentioned above, and make some delicious soup for yourself and your family.