old fashioned beef and barley soup

Ingredients

Dice the onion. Peel the carrots, cut them in half lengthwise, then slice. Cut the celery in half lengthwise and slice it. Mince the garlic.
Put a couple of glugs of olive oil in the bottom of a big, heavy stock pot. Heat it over medium heat until it shimmers, then add the onions, carrots, celery, and some salt. Cook over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and thyme (crumbled between your fingers) and cook, stirring, for another minute or so, until it's nice and fragrant. Push all the veggies to the outside of the pan, then add the tomato paste and cook it for a few minutes until it's brown and sweet.
Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, for an hour and a half.
Correct the seasoning and serve with crusty bread and a green salad.