Spring Barley Soup Recipes

PEARL BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse barley in a colander with cold tap water. Leave to drain for several minutes.
• Sauté veg 5 minutes: Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, swede, mushrooms and garlic (yes, all at once!). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Sauté herbs/spices: Add thyme, coriander, fennel, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
• Simmer 35 minutes: Add pearl barley and vegetable stock. Stir, bring to a boil and simmer for 35 minutes until barley is cooked. It will have a nice chew to it but should not have a hard centre like uncooked rice.
• Stir in parsley: Stir in parsley leaves. Ladle into bowls and serve!

SPRING BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the oil and garlic, and heat over medium. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and softened but not browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Add 6 cups of water, the barley and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the barley is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add the asparagus and peas, and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
• In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, stir a spoonful of the soup into the miso until dissolved. Pour into the pot, along with the rice vinegar, ginger and remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce; stir to combine. Taste for salt level and adjust with more soy sauce. (Leftovers will keep for up to 2 days; rewarm over low heat, thin with water, and add vinegar and soy sauce to taste.)

SPRING CHICKEN & BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Add garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add broth, chicken and barley. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Return the broth to a simmer and cook until the barley is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, shred the chicken or cut into bite-size pieces; discard the bone.
• When the barley is done, add the chicken, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes with juice, asparagus, peas, salt and a grinding of pepper; return to a simmer.
• Cover and cook over low heat until the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more.
• Gather basil and orange zest and finely chop together.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with a generous pinch of the basil mixture.

BEEF BARLEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a 6-quart soup pot, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown evenly, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining oil and the onion and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes, scraping the pot to loosen any brown bits.
• Add the carrots and garlic and sweat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of stock and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining stock, the meat, barley, and thyme and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, skimming the pot occasionally, until the barley is cooked and the meat is tender, about 50 minutes.
• Ladle into deep bowls and serve, garnished with parsley.