BARLEY AND CHICKEN SOUP
Minestra Di Orzo E Pollo The Silver Spoon, Phaidon Press
Serves 4
Ingredients • 2 chicken portions • 2 onions, chopped • 1 carrot, chopped • 1 celery stalk, chopped • generous 1/2 cup barley • 2 tablespoons butter • scant 1/2 cup dry white wine • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • salt and pepper • water
Directions Put the chicken, one of the onions, the carrot and celery in a pan, add 8 3/4 cups water and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, skimming the surface occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the barley in salted, boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain well.
Melt the butter in a skillet, add the barley and the remaining onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with the wine and cook until it has evaporated.
When the chicken is cooked through, lift it out of the stock with a slotted spoon.
Remove and discard the skin and cut the meat off the bones.
Return the meat to the stock, add the barley mixture and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Stir in the cumin and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into a soup tureen and serve. |