1 lb of good quality beef, cubed
2 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup barley
about 15 pearl onions or 2 small chopped onions
enough beef broth to cover everything
salt
pepper
cinnamon
whole garlic cloves
1 T corn starch
some oil or butter

Brown the meat in oil or butter and season with salt and pepper. Drain off the fat. Add the rest of the solid ingredients including the garlic and parsley but not including the barley and spices. cover with enough beef broth to fully cover everything. Add about a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with cold water *before* the mixture comes to a boil. When it comes to a boil it should thicken.

Cook the barley separately in beef broth, then drain and add it to the stew. This will keep the barley from soaking up too much of the broth.

Now it's time for spices. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of everything and then play. Does it need more salt? More pepper? Cinnamon is a strange spice but it adds a nifty kick. Sometimes I add soy sauce or mustard if I think it needs "something else" but I'm not sure what. Powdered Ginger also works.

If it gets too thick, add water. It shouldn't get too thin, but if it does, add some uncooked barley and it should take care of it.

Serves 4 kind of hungry people, and 2 Very Hungry people

I call this a medieval-ish stew because it is purposely made with nothing obviously out of the medieval period. Corn starch is not medieval, but it's easier than using flour. This is a good extra dish for a medieval feast, and it is also great as a dinner. If you don't care about the medieval-ness of the stew, you can replace the parsnips with potatoes.