Warming Barley And Vegetable Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup pearl barley, uncooked
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 leeks, finely chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and finely chopped
• 3/4 cup peas
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 chicken stock cube (or other preferred seasoning)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 rinse the pearl barley in water. you may need to soak it if the package directions recommend it. otherwise try to find a "no-soak" variety.
• 2 put the pearl barley and chicken stock in a large saucepan. bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. skim off any scum.
• 3 stir in all the vegetables from carrots to garlic. crumble in the stock cube (i use this purely to add flavour- you could use another seasoning mix).
• 4 simmer, covered, for 1 hour. the vegetables should be covered by enough liquid throughout- add more stock or water if they are not.
• 5 season with salt and pepper to taste. if the soup is too thick for your liking, stir in a small amount of water or milk.
• 6 serve hot and enjoy!