by skozub,
2/9/2013Great dish. We used mushrooms ( added during the same step as the carrots), skipped the squash and croutons. This is super flavorful. We used beef broth instead of chicken. We added the half and half but it might be good without it too - the soup looked amazing before we added it so curious how it would haved tasted w/o. Don't get me wrong though - great dish. We will make again for sure.
by Barbiezz33,
1/26/2013Made this stew and loved it. I didn't have barley so I had to leave it out. Next time I'll make sure I have it, Turned out great anyway. Will put this recipe on my comfort food short list.
by butta211,
11/19/2012Amazing meal for a fall or winters night. Didn't change a thing except that I roasted my butternut squash before adding because I like the texture better and think it has a richer flavor. And leave out the croutons. Good but they don't add anything to the meal either way.
by bbrockhoff,
1/31/2012Prepared this tonight, making some substitutions to use what I had on hand - Delicious! Will be interesting to see how different it will taste when prepared as listed.
by jamc379,
1/8/2012Yes, prep time can be a bit long, but well worth it. I have made it many times as written and it is always great! This time I substituted beef broth for chicken and Guinness beer for the wine. It is cooking as I write and smells absolutely amazing!! I don't think it needs the croutons and have never made them to accompany the stew.
by FSO,
10/23/2011Soul-satisfying! This is the stew to make when the cold is coming on, and you need warmth and comfort to hunker down. I made the recipe as written, but skipped the croutons. It came out perfect! It took a little bit of extra time -- maybe 30-40 min of active time -- but it was well worth it on a chilly Sunday afternoon.
by zebraz103,
1/28/2011Pretty good. There was a lot of prep work to it, and I was in a rush so I had to raise the temp and cook for a shorter period of time, so the meat was not as tender as I would have liked. Boyfriend and his roommates LOVED it - but they said there was too much squash and I would agree. The squash kind of took over. I also agree with the reviewer who said there is room for mushrooms in here - that was my thought exactly! I will probably replace half the squash with mushrooms next time. But overall, very easy and delicious dish. Although... my stew was NOT brown like the picture. Hello, it's all chicken broth, flour, and cream, so it is going to be yellow. Just a heads up!
by lucybusmc,
1/6/2011This recipe was time consuming with quite a few steps but. . . . this stew was so rich and so creamy, and the flavors? Delicious! I too added some yukon potatoes (house not full of squash lovers!) and found I had no barley when it came time to make but simply excluded the parley and made little pasta on the side. The croutons were delicious but also not really necessary. I think there is a place for mushrooms in here, too! Really, a great recipe.
by mdgirl,
12/15/2010Great recipe and easy to make. I did make a few modifications though so this is what my review is based on. I didn't add the half and half or fresh parsley (I did add some dried parsley) because I didn't have any. However, it was fine without it so I don't think it's necessary. Also, instead of chicken broth I used 2 cups beef broth and 5 cups vegetable broth. There's something about chicken broth in beef stew that didn't seem the best choice. I used 1 extra cup of broth since it seemed a bit thick. The blue cheese crouton, while not necessary, were excellent with the soup. We ended up eating them more as a side than in the soup. Overall, a very tasty and hearty soup with lots of flavor and perfect for a cold winter day. I will be making this one again.
by son_of_brooklyn,
12/12/2010A new paradigm, with 1 1/4 lb. of chuck serving 6. Terrific recipe. I might use dill instead of parsley, the blue cheese croutons didn't seem integral, but they were mighty tasty. Maybe mushrooms would find a home here, even some dried porcini. Great flavored dish. Could it survive some starch variation?
by ColleenCC,
12/8/2010Wonderful! Made as written, except for the croutons...we just served with a fresh baguette & crumbled some blue cheese on top...mmm. I made it the night before but didn't have any trouble with expanding barley like another reviewer; I think the flavor improved overnight too. I think this will become my new favorite go-to stew recipe; the squash was a nice change from potatoes and I really enjoyed the barley too. Filling & healthy; great comfort food.
by Trxtiger,
12/5/2010I had some of this stew in the freezer and we had it last night as the temperature dipped below freezing. Just as delicious the second time around. It's hearty comfort food, elevated to guest status by the blue cheese croutons. A family favourite.
by bellaginger,
11/28/2010Delicious! I followed the recipe exactly but did add one small diced yukon gold potato when I added the butternut squash (husband request). It had an excellent, hearty taste and I'll definitely make again. Great winter stew!
by boeufbourgignon,
11/4/2010Wonderful flavor. Several problems, made a day ahead and the barley expanded and consumed the liquid. It was barley soup with a touch of beef and squash. Am trying again today - will not flour the meat, nor add flour to the vegetables. Am thinking of cooking the barley separately and serving the stew over it. Wll thicken the stew at the end if needed.
by GardenOf,
10/24/2010We made the croutons but my husband felt that the stew held its own and we didn't need them (I really liked them). A great recipe!
by mnlocavore,
10/24/2010This is a really good recipe. We didn't make the croutons (we ate with fresh baguette instead). Flavors and texture are excellent.
by adamma21,
10/22/2010Wonderful. Didn't try the croutons as we made fresh bread to go with instead, but the stew was great!
