Spring Is Soup Weather - Beef Barley Soup

We're having early spring weather, cold and gloomy. Yesterday it was around 40 degrees, but very windy, so the windchill took it down to bitter cold. I was going to stand on the bridge and look at the fish, but it was too cold to linger. At least it was sunny,  giving the illusion of warmth.

Today I made Beef Barley Soup. Don't be scared by the anchovy - it disappears into the soup and enhances the beefy flavor. If you don't have it, Worcestershire sauce would be a good substitute.

This made 4 good-sized servings.

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/8 cup carrots, chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3 or 4 mushrooms, diced
Chuck roast, cut into 3/4 inch dice
Salt and pepper
1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste
1 anchovy fillet from a can or some anchovy paste from a tube or 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup medium barley
1/2 - 3/4 cup red wine
4 to 6 cups beef broth

Saute the onion and carrots in the oil until softened. Add the garlic and mushrooms and heat briefly. Put all ingredients into the crock pot, cover, and cook 6 or so hours until the barley is tender. Check occasionally and add more broth or water as needed. Taste before serving to see if it needs more salt.