Young & Hungry

 I had the pleasure of finishing off the remainder of this soup last night.  I found myself without enough meals in the day to finish the hefty pot of soup and can now confirm that it does in fact freeze well!  This recipe is a combination of various sources, none of which I recall at the moment.  Surely they too were delicious, but I will remain loyal to my own creation.  Barley is a relatively new ingredient in my repertoire, but I found it to be a welcome addition.  Make sure to note the long cooking requirement and schedule accordingly.  Outside of the lengthy wait, I wouldn’t change anything except the size of my kale and collards.  Your bite might be a bigger size than mine, but there was no way I was fitting those large leafy greens in my mouth with a struggle… 

Barley & Big Leafy Green Soup

Serves 6.

 

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• Sprigs of thyme
• ¾ cup barley
• Parmesan rind
• 1 head kale, chopped
• 1 head collard greens, chopped
• 1 T lemon juice
• S&P

 

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté onion and carrot for about 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and continue cooking for a couple minutes.  Stir in broth, barley, and spices and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes until barley is done.  Mix in remaining ingredients and simmer for another 20 minutes adding water if needed for additional broth.