Bubbe's Barley and Vegetable Soup

Submitted by Chef #837780

"I know this soup should be made with mushroom,but my granny didn't like them.Instead- this soup has a very strong "carroty" flavour and served with a piece of soft butter and lots of freshly ground black pepper-it is a little piece of Eastern European heaven here in the West and a little memory of a funny woman who loved her food and her family"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 50mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 4 bowls of soup (roughly)
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, about (Not olive oil,please I use rapeseed oil)
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled&diced (I use white English potatoes)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, sliced
• 1 cup pearl barley (weighs about a 100 grams)
• 2 liters vegetable stock (my gran made her own, I use vegetable grannules, about half a spoon)
• salt and pepper

• to serve

• chopped fresh dill (optional)
• soft butter, diced
• fresh ground black pepper

directions

1. sweat the onions and the carrots in vegetable oil.
2. when they are soft add the garlic just for a few seconds.
3. (you'll know when you're ready to go to the next step when it starts to smell "garlicky").
4. add the potatoes and barley and enough water to cover.
5. (if the veges are soft enough the water should be orange).
6. bring to boil.
7. reduce heat,cover and cook for 1 hour.
8. if you're using stock cubes or grannules rather than home made stock- add it now with salt&pepper to taste (omit salt if you're going to serve it with salted butter).
9. cook for 1/2 hour and check if they barley and veg are soft enough.
10. serve soup in a bowl.
11. put a small piece of soft butter on top.
12. ground some pepper on top.
13. and sprinkle some freshly chopped dill if you like.