Beef and barley soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean beef stew meat,trimmed and cut into  1 1/2 inch pieces
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
4 carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 small rutabega (about 12 ounces) peeled and cut into  1/2 inch pieces
6 fresh thyme strips
Optional 2 bay leaves
10 cups water
3/4 cup pearl barley
in a large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat heat 1 Tablespoon oil. The beef should be seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. The beef should be browned working by batches 10 minutes total, then put in a bowl.

The heat should be reduced to medium  and add onion and remaining 1 Tablespoon oil and cook with it covered  and cook it with a cover  stirring occasionally  for 5 minutes. Then cook for 1 minute  after you stir in the garlic. Put in the tomato paste  and stirring cook one minute.

The beef and and any juices should be returned to the pot and add it along with carrots, celery, rutabega, thyme and if using bay leaves. Put in the water , 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer  1 to 1 1/2 hours until the beef and vegetables  are tender.

Cook the barley according to how the package says. Drain and put aside.

The thyme should be discarded and bay leaves too from the soup. Gently break the beef into smaller pieces using two forks then into the soup stir barley.