Barley soup — a winter broth

Press, 30 August 1989, Page 17

Barley soup — a winter broth

Alison Holst’s

Food Facts

This thick, substantial soup may be served as the main part of a meal. It tastes as if it has simmered all day, but it can be served an hour after you started making it. If you like, spoon parmesan cheese over each serving. Although it tastes meaty, it is in fact made without any meat or meat products. I like it with crusty brown rolls, and a crisp salad, for texture contrast. BARLEY BROTH (4-6 large servings) y 2 cup commercial cereal soup mix 5 cups hot water 1 large onion 2 cloves garlic 2 Tbsp butter or oil 1 carrot, chopped IOOg pumpkin or kumara or 1 potato, cubed y 2 green pepper (if available) y 2 red pepper (if available) >4 tsp dried thyme y 2 tsp dried basil y 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp yeast extract 2 Tbsp tomato concentrate y 2 tsp salt >4 cup chopped parsley Put the soup mix and water on to simmer in a fairly large covered pot, while you prepare the rest of the soup in another pot or heavy frypan. Chop the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat in the butter or oil until the onion is evenly browned (but not blackened). While this is cooking, chop the scrubbed carrot, the pumpkin or scrubbed

kumara or potato into the size of your little fingernail, then add them to the browned onion. Cook for several minutes more, turning

frequently, then stir in the chopped peppers and the herbs. Tip the vegetables into the boiling soup mix, cover again, and simmer

very gently for 45 minutes, until the dried peas are tender. Mix the yeast extract with enough hot water to dissolve it, then stir in the tomato concentrate. Add this to the soup, with enough salt to bring out the flavours, then add the chopped parsley. Serve straight away, if necessary. If you have time, leave to stand for half an hour or more, to blend the flavours.

Note: The cereal soup mix is made up of a mixture of barley, dried peas and beans, pasta, etc. It does not contain any stock.