This soup is packed with vegetables, which makes it nice and hearty.
The turnips cook well, so they are soft and release a bit of starchiness to the soup.
The barley cooks well, absorbing the meatiness of the stock.
The mushrooms act like a little meat element. I used baby portabellas. They give such a great earthiness to the soup.
I did think the soup needed a little more seasoning. I added a little cumin and a small amount of thyme. The cumin helps with the meaty feel. I think the thyme brought out the flavors of the vegetables.
Everyone enjoyed the soup, although we did think it was a touch boring.
It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized I forgot to stir in the sour cream!
My husband took a little sour cream with his leftover soup. He said it did improve the flavor.
POLISH BARLEY SOUP
3/4 Cup Pearl Barley
8 Cups Stock
1/2 Cup Butter
2 Onions, Chopped
2 Carrots, Diced
1 Turnip, Diced
1 Leek, Chopped
1/2 Cup Chopped Celery
2/3 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
4 Tablespoons Sour Cream
Simmer barley in 1 1/2 cups of stock until tender. Add butter gradually. Boil chopped vegetables until tender in remaining stock. Add cooked barley and seasoning. Add sour cream just before serving.
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