Beef and Barley Stew with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2-3 pounds beef chuck, cut into chunks
• Salt
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, quartered if small or 1/4-inch sliced
• 1 quart beef or chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 cup roughly chopped carrot
• 3 cups celery root, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch to 1-inch chunks
• Black pepper
• About 1/2 cup sour cream
• Dill for garnish

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-high heat. Add only as much beef as will fit in a single layer with room around the pieces, so it sears instead of steams. Brown the beef in several batches, seasoning it with salt as it cooks, and transfer the browned pieces to a bowl.
2. Once all the beef is browned, put the onions into the pot. As they start to give off liquid, scrape up the browned bits from the pot with a wooden spoon. Season the onions with a little salt, turn the heat down to medium, and cook until they just start to take on color, 5-6 minutes.
3. Stir in the mushrooms once the onions are lightly browned, then raise the heat to high. Cook until the mushrooms give up their moisture, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Return the beef to the pot and sprinkle in the marjoram. Pour in 1 cup of the stock, using the wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits still clinging to the pot. Add the remaining stock and the water, and bring everything to a simmer. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer very gently for 1 hour.
5. Add the barley, celery root and carrots, then stir thoroughly and cover the pot again. Continue simmering gently until the celery root and barley are tender, between 40 minutes and an hour.
6. Ladle the stew into bowls, then add a spoonful of sour cream and a few dill sprigs to each serving. Finish with a little freshly ground black pepper just before serving. Stir the sour cream into the stew as you eat.