Last night was a hit, Barley Soup, the recipe from Johri’s Talvo in St. Moritz (Switzerland). I didn’t have any [...]]]> Last week it was oxtail soup using the beautiful oxtails from Mohr Animal Acres. Then a “Cheater’s Pho Bo” with canned beef broth, canned chicken broth and a rib-eye steak from Mohr also.

Last night was a hit, Barley Soup, the recipe from Johri’s Talvo in St. Moritz (Switzerland). I didn’t have any Bundnerfleisch so it was additional prosciutto that made it into the soup — lucky for us there’s readily available imported prosciutto nearby.

This was a HEARTY soup, but next time I won’t make it as the recipe dictates, as it is quite meat-heavy. Doubling the barley, cutting the meat content in half and upping the beans would work quite well for us.

The recipe as given in Gourmet (Dec 1994 issue).

2 onions, chopped (I used one LARGE red onion)
white and pale green part of 1 large leek, chopped, washed thoroughly and drained
2 carrots, chopped (shoulda used 4 for more Vitamin A!)
1/2 cup chopped peeled celery root or celery (double this next time as well)
1/4 pound prosciutto, chopped
1/4 pound piece Bundnerfleisch — I used 1/3 pound total prosciutto — bacon or smoked ham hock would be great here too
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (used extra virgin olive oil instead)
1/2 cup pearl barley (used 1 cup)
1/4 cup dried white beans such as Great Northern, picked over (used 2 cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed)
3 quarts beef broth (used 2 cans beef broth + 1 quart chicken broth — this is my standard formula for a copycat veal-y like broth + additional water to keep it soupy)
1/2 pound (about 4) smoked bratwursts or other small smoked sausages, sliced thin (used 3 Aidell’s chicken sausage and 1 Aidell’s Cajun)
1 1/4 cup heavy cream (omitted completely except for moi — I suggested soymilk or almond milk to the family but they were fine with the soup exactly the way it was

My instructions, since I used canned beans:

In a heavy kettle cook vegetables and prosciutto (and Bundnerfleisch if using) in olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes. Add barley and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broths and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/4 hours. Add beans and sausages and simmer 15 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add cream at table. Makes about 12 cups.

celery root or celeriac
apium graveolens

Black Truffle Soup
Zuppa di Tartufo Nero

Black Truffle Soup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped peeled celery root
1/4 cup sliced leeks (rinsed well)
3/4 [...]]]>
black truffle
tuber melanosporum

parsnips
pastinaca sativa

celery root or celeriac
apium graveolens

Black Truffle Soup
Zuppa di Tartufo Nero

Recipe here.

A quick lunch item or first entree, and healthful too. I used Palacios brand Spanish chorizo as I didn’t have any smoked kielbasa. 8-yo Paco ate it, and he usually dislikes any bean-type soup.

A Filipino soup, flavored with ginger and pepper leaves. The traditional vegetable that goes in it is papaya, but my family prefers chayote squash or christophene (sechium edule). Chayote goes by many names, like mirliton, custard marrow, vegetable pear (probably because of the shape), and mango squash, the last one a bit confusing, since [...]]]>

A Filipino soup, flavored with ginger and pepper leaves. The traditional vegetable that goes in it is papaya, but my family prefers chayote squash or christophene (sechium edule). Chayote goes by many names, like mirliton, custard marrow, vegetable pear (probably because of the shape), and mango squash, the last one a bit confusing, since it neither looks like a mango nor a squash and doesn’t taste like either.

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 3-4 lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large onion, sliced
handful of ginger root, peeled, chopped into rough pieces and crushed
salt or fish sauce to taste
chayote, peeled, de-seeded and cut lengthwise into eighths (or green papaya, peeled, de-seeded and cut into 1″ x 3″ pieces)
hot pepper leaves, or spinach, or other dark green vegetable (cut into small pieces if large)

Heat oil in a casserole over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until onion is limp and garlic is golden (be careful not to burn the garlic). Add ginger and continue to cook a few more minutes until fragrant. Add chicken pieces to the pot, give everything a quick stir and cover. Bring heat down to low and cook 5-10 minutes, or until juices are rendered, stirring every few minutes. When juices have been rendered, add salt or fish sauce to taste, stir again, and cover, cooking another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Bring heat to high and add 6-8 cups water (more if the chicken is large). Bring to a boil quickly, then lower heat to a simmer and cook, covered, about 45 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender. Add chayote pieces (or papaya) and pepper leaves and cook 5 minutes more or until chayote is tender. Serve hot.