Serves 4 to 6

The 16th century building, which is now the Guy Fawkes Hotel, is reputedly the birth place of Guy Fawkes, or the Gunpowder_Plot fame.  This charming little hotel with only twelve rooms in the heart of the Medieval section of the City of York.  You can see the cathedral and hear the bells.  Many of the rooms have four-poster beds.  During one stay I was served this delicious soup and managed to pry the recipe out of the cook.

2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil or more traditionally, lard or drippings

1 onion, chopped

1 medium size leek, cut into thin rings and washed well

1 sprig or ½ teaspoon thyme

1 sprig or ½ teaspoon sage

1 bay leaf

About 6 cups of beef broth, stock or bouillon – (3 or 4 cans of commercial)

¼ cup of pearl barley

1 medium carrot, scrapped and diced

1 small parsnip, peeled and diced

1 medium size potato, peeled and diced

6 to 8 mushrooms, sliced

1 cup of frozen peas

1 cup pre cooked beef cut into this strips

¼ cup minced parsley

1 tablespoon English stile brown mustard

¼ cup inexpensive cream Sherry

salt and fresh coarse ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil or drippings in a heavy pot and add the onion, leek and herbs.  Sauté gently for a minute or two or until the onions are just pinkish and translucent and the leeks are wilted.   Add the stock, broth or bouillon and the pearl barley.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook until the pearl barley is tender.  The time will vary greatly.  Then add the carrot, parsnip, potato and mushrooms and cook until the vegetables reach your desired degree of doneness.  Then add the remaining ingredients, stir to incorporate the mustard well and cook only until all is hot through.  Serve hot with chunks of fresh crusty bread.

  Guy Fawks Hotel           Medieval Shambles              Yorkminister