Greek Barley Soup Recipes

GREEK BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
• Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
• Add the garlic, parsley, marjoram, and rosemary and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the stock, barley, carrots, if using, potato, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the barley is nearly tender, about 45 minutes.
• Add the milk and heat through.
• Remove from the heat.
• Gradually stir 1 cup of the soup into the egg yolks, then stir the yolk mixture and parmesan into the soup.
• Return to low heat and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Serve warm.

BEEF, LEEK & BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Trim the short ribs to get any surface fat and place on bottom of soup pot.
• Add barley, garlic, onions, leeks, and optionally mushrooms. (I like to add, rather that straight mushrooms, mushrooms and peppers fried in bacon grease.) You can also, at this point, add any other vegetable you have on hand.
• Pour in the filtered water. Let simmer on the back of the stove for a minimum of three hours.
• At the end of simmering, skim off the fat, take the short ribs out, cut the meat from the bones, chop it and put it back in the soup.

BEAKER'S VEGETABLE BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot. Add the barley, carrots, celery, tomatoes, zucchini, garbanzo beans, onion, and bay leaves. Season with garlic powder, sugar, salt, pepper, parsley, curry powder, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 90 minutes. The soup will be very thick. You may adjust by adding more broth or less barley if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

VERY EASY MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic; cook and stir until onions are tender and transparent. Stir in mushrooms and continue to cook for a few minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and add barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until barley is tender, about 50 minutes. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP III

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, combine the oil, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the beef stock, barley, bay leaf and thyme and simmer until barley is softened but not mushy. Add the wine, potatoes and beef.
• Add the browning and seasoning sauce now if you want your soup to have more of a brown color. Simmer another 15 minutes and add the cabbage. Allow to simmer another 15 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

ZESTY GREEK LENTIL AND BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils well under cold water and place them in a medium pot. Add some water, just enough to cover them, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Empty the lentils into a colander to drain and discard the water.
• Return the lentils into the pot, add the barley, olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, tomato sauce, 6 cups of fresh water and the paprika and pepper. (Hold off on adding the salt and the oregano). Cover and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat, partially uncover the pot, and cook for about another 30 to 40 minutes or until the lentils, the barley, and the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally. Add the oregano and the salt and cook for 5-10 minutes more or until the soup is slightly thickened. If the soup is becoming too thick, add some hot water at this stage. Remove the bay leaves.
• Just before serving, drizzle the red wine vinegar (or even better, Balsamic vinegar) and some extra virgin olive oil and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour into soup bowls, squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice for added flavor, and serve. This soup is traditionally served with seasoned Kalamata olives and a loaf of good, crusty flatbread.