Healing Barley Soup

By Cait Johnson, author of Witch in the Kitchen

When I came down with a double whammy of sniffles and
post-birthday-feasting extra weight, I turned to this recipe from my
wise grandmother, which includes other healing foods like garlic,
onion, herbs, and lemon along with the barley. She knew that this
inexpensive traditional whole food has been used as a healing agent
for centuries: barley is a potent source of B vitamins, folic acid,
selenium, and Vitamin E, has a low glycemic index, its fiber helps
reduce cholesterol, and it makes us feel pleasantly full without
loading on the calories. The cooked barley has a pasta-like
consistency that really satisfies, and this soothing soup always makes
me feel better.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion (I use red, but white or yellow will do just fine),
coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup pearl barley
6 cups good-quality vegetable stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried (thyme is a good
anti-microbial)
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 cup sweet potato, peeled, and diced
3 cups seasonal greens, chopped (I like kale, but turnip greens, Swiss
chard, broccoli rabe, mustard greens, or spinach will work
beautifully)
Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice per serving
Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional, but its very soothing for
scratchy throats)
Fresh herbs for garnish, optional

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot and add onion.
Saute, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, until softened. Add
garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1 or 2 minutes, until garlic is
fragrant and golden but not browned. Add pearl barley, stirring to
coat with oil, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add stock, thyme, and rosemary. Increase heat to bring soup to a
boil, then cover, reduce heat, and cook 1 hour, until barley is barely
tender. Add carrot and sweet potato, and continue cooking 20 to 30
minutes, until vegetables have softened. Add greens and cook until
wilted and tender, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Use a potato masher to
gently crush the potatoes. Add salt and pepper to your taste.

Ladle soup into bowls, adding lemon juice and cayenne pepper, if
using, to each serving, and top with fresh herbs, if you like.

Serves 6 to 8.

--
Rec.food.recipes is moderated by Patricia D. Hill at .
Only recipes and recipe requests are accepted for posting.
Please allow several days for your submission to appear.
Archives: http://www.cdkitchen.com/rfr/ http://recipes.alastra.com/