Hearty beef Soup

Wash and dry the meat. Put into a pan with about 1 litre water (the meat should be covered) and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the bay leaf and allspice berries.

After about half an hour rinse the pearl barley under running water and add to the meat. Cook for 10 minutes then add the vegetables and herbs.

Cook for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add more water if necessary during cooking. Take the meat out, cut into small pieces and return to the pan.