Tender marinated steak gives body to a Mexican mix of herbs and veggies for this hearty soup.

Ingredients

For the marinade and steak:

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 fresh chili pepper, such as Fresno or jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
• 1/4 red onion, minced or grated
• 1 pound skirt steak
• Kosher salt and coarse black pepper

Barley soup base:

• Salt
• 1 cup pearled barley
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ( EVOO), plus extra for drizzling
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 2 chili peppers, such as Fresno or jalepeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 small bell pepper, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 can stewed tomatoes (32 ounces)
• A handful of fresh cilantro or parsley leaves, chopped
• Lime wedges, Worcestershire and hot sauce, to pass at table

Preparation

For the marinade and steak:

Combine the cilantro, Worcestershire, garlic, chili peppers, lime juice, marjoram and onion in a bag. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper and add to the bag. Release air and seal the bag, then refrigerate. Marinate up to 2 hours.

To prepare, bring the steak to room temperature. Heat a grill pan to medium-high, shake off the excess marinade and cook the steak for a few minutes on each side. Thinly slice and set aside.

For the soup:

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt the water and cook the barley to tender, but al dente, about 20 minutes. Drain and drizzle with a touch of oil. Store in a plastic container until the night you serve the soup.

In a soup pot, heat the 2 tablespoons EVOO, two turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, celery, chili peppers, onions and bell peppers, and season with salt and pepper. Cook to soften the veggies, 8-10 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes and cilantro, and simmer to combine the flavors, about 20 minutes. Cool, cover and store for a make-ahead meal.

To serve, heat the soup to a low boil. Add the barley and heat through. Serve the soup in shallow bowls and add the sliced skirt steak. Pass the lime wedges, Worcestershire and hot sauce for topping.