The onslaught of polar vortexes has me a little under the weather. Not sick, exactly, but sort of sniffly and lethargic and generally just kind of blah. I’ve also been in major pantry-scrounging mode, and am on a strict “nothing else gets bought until we use everything up” policy. Malaise + eating down the fridge/pantry = soup, soup, and more soup. This one really hit the spot the other night – wind chills were in the single digits and our drafty windows just weren’t doing the trick. A hot, comforting bowl of this soup definitely did, though.
There’s nothing too fancy going on in this – just some standard veggies and hardy kale thrown together in salty broth with barley, white beans and herbs. It’s perfect for warming up a cold winter night, and is best eaten under a blanket with something stupid playing on television.*
*preferably something in the Real Housewives family
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 6 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3½ cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup quick-cooking barley
- 1 can cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups kale, chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and celery and carrots are softened (about 10 minutes).
- Add garlic, tomato paste, dried herbs, and balsamic vinegar and saute for another 1-2 minutes, until garlic and herbs are fragrant. Add stock, barley, and beans and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until barley is cooked, 10-12 minutes. If the barley has absorbed too much liquid, add a bit more. Add kale and simmer for another 5-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper and serve hot.
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