Barley with Chicken and Rapini

Barley deserves a more prominent place at my table. Chewy and slightly nutty, it works in casseroles, salads, stews, or anywhere else you need a grain with some texture. This recipe was easy and turned out perfectly. If you use regular, instead of low-sodium stock, it won't need any extra salt. And the bitter rapini will balance the flavours.

Barley with Chicken and Rapini
Serves 2

4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 rib of celery, diced
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
1 cup pot barley, rinsed
3 cups water + one chicken bouillon cube
or
1 cup of water + 2 cups of chicken stock
2 cups chopped rapini

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add onion and celery and sautee until soft. Add diced chicken and cook until browned slightly. Add barley and the water + stock or bouillon cube and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the barley is tender, but still slightly chewy. (You may have to add a bit more water...check part way through cooking.) In the meantime, sautee the rapini in a separate pan. When the barley is cooked and all the water absorbed, add the rapini and stir. Season with fresh ground black pepper to taste. (optional: serve with plain yogurt on the side.)

Two Fall Soups

Oh, my poor neglected blog. The days are shorter, the nights are colder, and I still haven't posted recipes and photos of those soups I made back in late September...

Soup has always been a favorite of mine. It's the easiest, healthiest way to cook whatever you've got in the fridge or pantry. It fills me up and keeps me warm. I think I can be quoted as saying "whoever invented soup was a genius." Not my greatest moment of high intellectual thought, but you get the idea. I'm a fan.

Mr. PL on the other hand, used to look as me with a puzzled expression when I would suggest soup as a meal. He was fond of saying, "Soup is not food!" Meaning, "But if I eat soup, I'm still going to be hungry."

I took it as a challenge to come up with or find some really delicious and filling soup recipes. Here are a couple of hearty ones for fall. Stay warm!

Split Pea with Barley Soup
Serves 4

1 cup of dry green split peas
2 cups of chicken stock
4 cups of water
1/2 cup of uncooked pot barley
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1/3 cup of diced turkey kielbasa
2 Tablespoons of dry herbs or 1/4 cup of chopped fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, marjoram, chives
1 bay leaf
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Put everything in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a medium simmer and cover for about 30-40 minutes, or until barley and split peas are cooked. Take soup off the heat and discard bay leaf. Using a hand mixer (carefully...you don't want to splash yourself with hot soup...) roughly puree the soup with a couple of pulses - keeping the chunky texture, but blending the ingredients slightly. Return to heat just before serving.

Leek, Potato and Tarragon Soup
Serves 4

This is a recipe I used from one of my favorite sites, Epicurious.
But I chose to omit the cream and to puree the soup, for a smooth low fat version.

3 tablespoons butter
2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced (about 2 cups)
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons water
1/2 pound yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook until leeks are just golden, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes and broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let soup cool slightly. Stir in yogurt. Using a hand blender, puree until smooth. Mix in tarragon and slowly reheat for serving. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Yes, it's true. Soup does not photograph very well. Neither do most things in my semi-dark kitchen, which is why it sometimes looks like I do all my cooking outside on the deck.

And, I'm not as clever as Ana, from imadeitso, who created a very funny post out of a mushy bowl of soup.